Sixteen week of roadworks is absurd

Nigel Rumble, Chalcots Estate, full address supplied, writes:

Here in Belsize Park, we have all been misinformed by Thames Water on the water mains renewal project.

Adelaide Road closed 10 weeks is now being extended by six-plus weeks, same thing with Eton Avenue and various other locations.

This disruption does not only affect road users, it affects all local businesses, especially with older customers unable to visit local dentists, doctor surgery, dry cleaners or shops because of re-routed buses up towards Hampstead and down towards Swiss Cottage for 16-plus weeks at present estimate.

Ham & High: Road works by Thames WaterRoad works by Thames Water (Image: Nigel Rumble)

Residents living, working or,worse, homebound due to health reasons and people at home under Covid-19 self-isolation enduring non-stop heavy machinery when sites are actually being maned which for days and weeks often sit idle.

In fact the prime Adelaide Road site appears all storage related with little activity.

Many residents and small businesses tell me that it is the inadequate consultation and therefore, lack of respect that angers them most.

Nearly everyone understands need for utility renewal but 16+ weeks and counting is absurd. Residents feel betrayed by the common sense of these multi-million pound projects blighting the leafy area of Belsize and Primrose Hill.

What also really upsets residents is the knowledge that all of the water mains work is precursor of HS2 tunnelling operations which will cause considerable issues especially along the immediate routing of Adelaide Road beneath Fellows Road. Three tunnels each able to hold a double decker bus at 30m depth through our London clay passing beneath our houses and much of the Chalcots towers – subject of future letters once more is clarity provided by structural engineers of HS2.