Forum Topic

The never ending road works underneath the M4 in Brentford.

Someone on the REAL BRENTFORD facebook group is asking the very legitimate question.about all the maintenance  work that keeps going on underneath the M4 passing through Brentford.... and currently causing great delays.We heard about water leakage, the damage done by SALT etc.... but what is the real problem. Is it being disclosed?Lots of wires seem to have been inserted into the cement column s etc.What's it all about.Does the M4 need rebuilding in TW8?

Jim Lawes ● 791d15 Comments

Reminds me of the "Widening of the M4" thread regarding the snippets in the Airports Commission papers on Heathrow Expansion. http://appasp.brentfordtw8.com/server/app/forum/ShowMessage.asp?ID=1170820Should we safeguard a site to have an east-bound tunnel portal  ?Or build towers on all possibilities to prevent it ?

Tim Henderson ● 769d

Ridiculous delays and queuing traffic on the Great West Road from Chiswick Flyover this evening.Crazy queues held up by the Ealing Road roadworks no doubt.But the M4 can't cope with traffic joining it at Junction 2 at Clayponds Lane.There are suggestions that the M4 will need to be widened through Brentford oneday.Building new flats at Capital Interchange Way might hamper that.

Jim Lawes ● 770d

Ihave been stuck twice in the works on th A40 (I forgot about the roadworks on the second occesion). For the entire length of the works (daytime rush hour) there was not a single worker replacing the crash barriers (the supposed need for the lane closures). If only the contractors were fined for delays (as they are in Germany) the works would be complete a damned sight quicker.

N V Brooks ● 770d

The delays to the buses are unacceptable and to add to further roadworks at a time of real difficulty to so many in costs and having hours added to working days by delays is near criminal and certainly insane.There are major road works in Richmond casing long detours and massive delays.The same with the A4.Then  a raft of works on other key roads and furthered by relief roads being blocked.The A40 is taking up to an hour to cover just 2 miles of roadworks lane closures.Yet diversions are minimal and poorly signed as are the rather poor advance notices which do not appear until it is too late to take alternative routes.It is just not acceptable to tell people to walk or cycle.  It's not practicable in this sort of climate or when carrying items.But surely starting yet ,more works is going to be the last straw and break many already on the precipice livelihoods and businesses.Surely this needs proper planning g and co-odination which is quite obviously absent from both the A4 and A40 debacle  Both artery roads at the same time.

Raymond Havelock ● 770d

When Brentford is completely covered in concrete and the last blade of grass is under yet another under-utilised cycle path.

N V Brooks ● 772d

To add insult to injury we now have temp lights outside Heidleberg which are causing further chaos in the area. Whe  wi it all end ?

Elizabeth Price ● 773d

We’ve got the works starting on the cycle superhighway starting in Brentford any day now, just to add to the heady brew. Six months to complete apparently.

Simon Hayes ● 774d

The westbound M4 was really bad on Tuesday with a queue to join the motorway at Junction 2. This gave me an opportunity to look at the repairs being undertaken from only 10-15 feet away at the same level.There are nets to catch the pieces of concrete that are spalling off the coulumns and the corrosion on the now exposed reinforcement is quite concerning to behold.I am actually quite surprised that the elevated section is fully open to be honest, it looks a mess to this layman from a maintenance viewpoint. I can only guess that there is a significant safety margin but I would expect any remedial works to be finished soon.

N V Brooks ● 774d

77 mins from Kew Bridge to Ealing Broadway at 6pm last night and the driver ran out of hours at the GW rd so had to change buses of which 2 were packed.Got soaked in the rain.This really is not acceptable.Has been just as bad this morning with the whole area gridlocked From Hanwell to Brentford.Just shows how just a couple of roads out of normal use can create problems for miles around.But they have had works like this before in recent times but never caused this degree of chaos.

Raymond Havelock ● 774d

The knock-on effect of the M4/Great West Roadworks is still being suffered.My 235 bus this evening took nearly half an hour to travel from the High Street (MacDonalds) to the railway bridge on the Ealing Road. Bonkers!

Jim Lawes ● 775d

There does appear to be way over the top Health and Safety criteria being imposed which suggests the issues and works are far more serious and involved than is being made public - The Highways missive is most devoid of actual detail that makes sense. More a series of dumbed down PR written whitewash.What I find ironic is the level of safety and then just feet away construction workers with barely a pair of safety gloves between them, spit and damaged hard hats rarely worn and not much in the way of debris and dust sheeting.And as for the developments in Brentford , a raft of completely ineffective dust protection just enough to meet minimum requirements.  And there for all to see.

Raymond Havelock ● 787d

I bet the prospective residents of Performance Point on the corner of Windmill and The A4 will be thrilled at the prospect.While the works are essential since the collapse of the entire elevated section is too awful to contemplate, it’s to be hoped that future repairs are better managed than the current lot.

Simon Hayes ● 788d

The stuff you can see under the flyover which has been in place about 8 years now  are heating elements to heat the flyover to avoid using salt and to prevent damp ingress further corroding the rebar in the supports. A few of the supports were replaced ( one between Clayponds and Lionel road ) to see if replacing all is feasible.  I understand this is on the cards to renew the lot over the next decade.  Which will have a very serious impact on both Brentford and South Ealing and local businesses if not very carefully managed.Because of planning changes the original plant to renew and add a Hard Shoulder to both carriageways was deferred then cancelled by then Transport Minister John Prescott .  Very short sighted as it would have eliminated the almost daily lane closures from breakdowns and small accidents reducing congestion and pollution significantly.

Raymond Havelock ● 788d

Thank you for your explanation Raymond.I had only taken in the thought that the winter conditions / and de-icing strays and salts being the cause.If there is a danger of fragments falling on our heads.... maybe we should insist that heavy vehicles use the Great West Road!!

Jim Lawes ● 789d

It's in a dire structural state and life expired. This is now the third life extension program in 20 years and it's not going to make a massive improvement .Much of the rebar inside has corroded. Much of the exterior concrete is crumbling - hence the nets in place since the 1990s - which themselves have now rotted.It's been very neglected which is visible to all from dirt. damp debris and lighting.The Section over Boston Manor needed a lot of fatigue remedial work but is easier as it's not encased.Much is due to UK Highways Govt's allowing increases in axle loading across the UK against the advice of engineers reports on infrastructure on some older motorway structures resulting in lampposts being removed on some flyovers to save a little weight but more to reduce sources of corrosion and vibration action.It's all taking it's toll from the necessity of freight and commerce.

Raymond Havelock ● 789d