Forum Topic

St Johns Rd closure...when will it end?

My mother has had a leaflet put through her door saying that this work is now scheduled to finish at the end of July.  Only a couple of weeks ago at the public meeting it was given as some time in June & as this is now the 3rd or 4th new end date, do not hold your breath!

Lynn Clark ● 6635d20 Comments

I share the frustration at this on-going saga and chased up the Council who sent me this response..Dear Cllr Fisher Thank you for your email. The workmen currently at the site are working for Thames Water  and Transco. The Resident Engineer at the site was unaware of  what they are saying to the local residents.  As you know that it was programmed to open the road by the end of  July 2007. On 19 July Thames water found a 100mm water pipe serving 71 properties crossing the  line of proposed route of the permanent diversion of the water main . The Council is very disappointed with  Thames Water as they  do not have records of their own pipe network and also lack of necessary investigation work done prior implementation of diversion work. However as a result of this it took additional two weeks to sort this out. we request Thames Water to utilise extra resources to mitigate this delay. although they did work extra hours and weekends still one week behind the programme and now affecting the Gas diversion work and it is now behind the programmed date of completion.. In light of the above, on 16 the July, I  had a meeting with the Principal Contractor who was affected by all these delays of diversion work. and agreed to open the road on 15th of August 2007 assuming that we do not get any other problems in connection with diversions I am very hopeful that we will meet the new target date of opening the road.  I have already asked the Resident Engineer to send letters by this weekend to all residents and the Councillors apologising for the delay and also outlining the events leading  to this delay. Regards Tissa Liyanage Drainage, Lighting & Structures Manager London Borough of Hounslow, Civic Centre Lampton Road Hounslow TW3 4DN

Paul Fisher ● 6542d

The council told me yesterday that the work is due to end at the end of August - and they will consult the public about keeping the one way systems in place.

Lena Armstrong ● 6543d

Jim It would have been a construction nightmare to redirect the river.  Yes that's what I remember my Grandad drinking. It's so great having you around helping not only me but others remembering the little things, which can mean so much. Thanks.

Joan Perry ● 6543d

Hi Joan..and thanks for the encouragement. I needed a break...!That St John's Road bridge had a good width for the traffic to pass over..but I understand that European regulations deemed that it needed to be strengthened to cope with loads up to 40 tons(?) and to withstand..no doubt.. the unforgiving  wide vibrating buses that are on the roads these days.It must have been a challenge for the Builders to control and redirect the flowing river...but I wonder what the invoice will amount to!Yes, the Watneys beer bottling plant was in SJR too. It closed down..maybe 25 years ago and the land used for housing. We all remember Watney's Red Barrel and their lorries touring the area to make deliveries. Sadly the lads were greedy and there were many scams on the go.One night the Police were brought in by the management to help solve the mystery of disappearing stock!  They found lorries lined up with their tails at the loading bay..having been overloaded with surplus booze..which was then sold off to the pubs on their tour round next morning.  Another example of strong Unions, closed shop and all that, in the know..and condoning the "spanish practices".St John's Road is well worth a study on its own.  An old Church and vicarage, a Park with Winterbourne drain covers!,Industrial Estates, Rolls Royce repairers, and more!Here's the Red Barrel bottle!

Jim Lawes ● 6543d

Firstly, good to see you back Jim. I for one have missed your pictures and postings.What are they actually building or re-creating. Oh those poor residents living so close. I can only imagine what the noise would be like. I do remember St John's Rd. The name 'Watneys' rings a bell. Excuse my ignorance but was this a beer? If so I think my grandad used to drink it.

Joan Perry ● 6543d

No change there then, what a cock-up.

Vanessa Smith ● 6543d

Wasn't the new completion date July 2007..ie now?I was  told today that there's likely to be another two more months to go!!"Did you find any gold or diamond gems cleaning out that Duke of Northhumberland's River?" I asked. A sword was rumoured!..but a more modest find was hundreds and hundreds of old beer bottles..empty..found deep along the River close to where the old Watneys Bottling Plant used to be!!  Good ole Watneys!!All the bottles were collected up and sent away in a skip! (for recycling hopefully!)-----------------------------------------------------------What a nightmare for local residents?-----------------------------------------------------------Road opened by end of July?  or August? How about September?These pictures just to keep you up to date!-----------------------------------------------------------end

Jim Lawes ● 6543d

The scene 7 days ago...lots still to do..-----------------------------------------------------------and the two cranes still lurking around!-----------------------------------------------------------HOWEVER TODAY..the cranes have gone..and some jolly Welshmen have arrived to prepare for concrete pouring next week! (Big Lorries again..in convoy??)The river is to the right side..the view is looking south to the Twickenham Road...and you can see the new bridge top.I was told is was built to last 200 years!..and was needed to cope with heavier lorries on our roads etc.---------------------------------------------------------end

Jim Lawes ● 6604d

Latest date for normal service to be resumed is the end of July - I wouldn't recommend any holding of breath though!

Vanessa Smith ● 6619d

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------My informant who lives at the London Road end said you'd be surprised how many Police cars, taxis, lorries,etc etc race up the road ..only to find that it's closed..and they have to do a 'U' turn.The skilled staff working there today in this heat..were working quite hard..and we exchanged handwaves.  We'll we're a polite lot..aren't we?

Jim Lawes ● 6619d

Jim Lawes ● 6619d

I going off subject..but here are the Frank Winterbourne drawings (and some other images) from the Isleworth Public Hall.--------------------------------------------------------He painted many local Isleworth scenes in colour.--------------------------------------------------------Someone elses work..hanging in the Public Hall.---------------------------------------------------------Like it?  One of the staircase windows>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(NB: some 2000 pictures posted on the Brentford Forum by me have disappeared from threads going back 2 years..even those Canal Trip ones..due to the Picture Hosting website that I use coming to a halt.  Hopefully, it will revive ..but I have my doubts.)  Terrible really!

Jim Lawes ● 6627d

Answer was there - none.

Vanessa Smith ● 6627d

There were some very well known Winterbornes in Isleworth but I don't think poetry was their thing. I agree about the tree  - it is extremely pretty when it's in flower, but the received wisdom is that this huge root will cause a lot more damage if left, and if removed make the tree unstable and dangerous.

Vanessa Smith ● 6632d

Winterbournes locally?Tim There was a famous old Isleworth family called the Winterbourne who ran a foundery behing the George Pub in South Street.  Many drain covers in the area..including the recreation park in St John's Road were manufactured at their Forge. Indeed isn't the garage there called the Forge.Christine Diwall(The Isleworth Society)(and a co-opted member of the Brentford and Isleworth Area Committee) is a local expert on this subject...and she told me about the about on an occasion we meet.Quite separately one of the sons became a very competant local artist.  Frank Winterbourne.  Enter "Winterbourne" in the Forum Search box and you will find 5 more messages from ..boring me! His paintings are in the Pubic Hall too.

Jim Lawes ● 6633d

It's a shame the tree has to come out because of the root.Anyone know how they should be planted to avoid this ?It brought back to me thoughts from Hardy's "The Woodlanders" :<<>>Any Mr. Winterbornes in Brentford ?

Tim Henderson ● 6633d

Well - how's this for "consultation". A tree outside our house has given problems for sometime due to the roots constantly causing trip hazards by lifting the paving and also affecting the drain. It got so bad that after waiting God knows how long to get someone finally to take notice, Highways exposed the roots and practically the entire frontage of our house is dug up and has remained so for over 6 weeks. Three times now what is to happen has changed from taking out the tree entirely, to cutting the root out and cutting back the canopy, back to taking the tree out again.Last week four of us (one next door neighbour and two oppposite) got letters telling us that the tree would have to come out, which is a great pity as we sponsored it many years ago to replace another tree - however still nothing has happened. On enquiring we have been told that this was a "consultation"!!, The letter, one paragraph long, did not ask for a response, certainly did not offer any options (how could it?), but apparently has a consultation period waiting time? What a load of crap, how can you be asked your view when so-called experts are saying the tree is leaning and if the root comes out may get worse so the best thing is to remove it? Anyway the letter makes it clear this is not up for discussion. Openness and transparency? Sounds more like B/S baffles brains.

Vanessa Smith ● 6634d

VanessaYou will have to ask the former councillors for Syon ward what they were told.  We were told nothing.When we asked why this was so the reply was, and I quote: "We invited Councillors Bartholomew, Lamey and Smart of Syon Ward to attend the 25th October meeting, in addition the Council had delivered one thousand letters with the help of the St Johns Residents Association inviting the local residents to come to the meeting. The meeting was well attended with Councillor Lamey presence. It is unfortunate that the Councillors in Ward 16 have been missed out on the list.Ward 16, apparently, is how the community of Isleworth ward is referred to by the department in question and this statement, presumably, is what passed for an apology under the old regime.  For those who were not aware of the fact, the bridge at St. John's Road spans both wards.I do not agree with you about consultation.  People have a right to be told what is going on in their own neighbourhoods.  This is not "wittering", it is the fulfilment of both a statutory and a moral obligation.  Your comments seem to confirm my view that the new administration has a real job on its hands introducing a new culture of openness and transparency at the London Borough of Hounslow.

Phil Andrews ● 6634d

I can't really see what all this wittering about consultation has to do with anything - the bridge works had to be done consultation or no. The problem is the contract and the firm who got it, as I understand it they had no expertise in this type of work, so that's where I'd be asking questions, given that background is it any wonder the damned thing is a total cock-up? Officers are paid to give professional advice - so just what were Members told?????

Vanessa Smith ● 6634d

LynnWhen this work was first announced at the end of 2005 I didn't believe it would be finished within the timescale suggested.  It wasn't, and I have too much respect for local residents to give them any promises that it will conclude in June, July or the following July.Obviously it is the technical people who know what work is required and how long it should take to complete, and when new, unforeseen complications are encountered we can generally only take their word for it.  What I can promise though is that progress will now be monitored closely, any proposed delays will require a robust explanation, and regular communication with local residents will be insisted upon.Once the work is concluded we will be asking for a full and detailed explanation as to why the completion date did change on three or four occasions and whether or not any or all of these delays were avoidable.I'm sorry for any inconvenience which you have been caused as a result of the lack of communication which occurred prior to our intervention.  Valuable lessons have been learned, and future consultations will be conducted much differently in accordance with the new administration's desire for openness and for involving the community.

Phil Andrews ● 6635d