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Capital’s drivers enraged as 1,000 roadworks a day hit London
A “perfect storm” of road digging is bringing misery to millions of London drivers, a Standard investigation reveals today.
A record 370,000 sets of roadworks means that the equivalent of each of the capital's estimated 85,000 streets has been dug up four times on average in the last 12 months, according to figures from Transport for London.
The road digging blitz has been created by Thames Water pipe replacements, major engineering projects, preparations for the 2012 Olympics and damage caused by the harsh winter.
The record level of digging and repairs has infuriated road users and led to claims that Boris Johnson has failed to deliver on his promised “war on roadworks”.
Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat chairwoman of the London Assembly transport committee, said: “London's road network has probably never faced so much disturbance. For too many people their daily journeys are both unpredictable and horrendously slow.
“As well as bridge and tunnel closures, thousands of roads are being dug up by Thames Water, not to mention other utility companies.”
Green party London Assembly member Jenny Jones said: “The Mayor promised to cut roadworks by licences and strong control, but things seem worse than ever.”
Under the Mayor's permit scheme, utility companies that want to dig up roads need to apply for a permit before they can begin. However, not all boroughs have signed up to it.
Bob Oddy, general secretary of the London Taxi Drivers' Association, said: “It's the worst I've ever seen it. It's now impossible to make a journey anywhere in London without hitting a restriction or diversion.”
Although London-wide figures have only been collected for the past year, senior Transport for London officials admit that the volume of roadworks has never been higher in peace-time, costing the London economy up to £1 billion a year.
More than 5,500 of London's roads are being worked on today, many of them major through routes. They include Oxford Street and Piccadilly, the Goldhawk Road and Kensington High Street in west London, Chancery Lane and Lewisham High Street.
The problem has been exacerbated by restrictions on Thames crossings. Battersea Bridge has roadworks to replace lanterns while Albert Bridge is closed for repairs. Putney, Westminster, Southwark bridges are also all affected.
Drivers said they have never seen so many roads restricted, leading to angry demands for better co-ordination and fears that the city's reputation could be damaged.
Mr Oddy said: “Our business is suffering because passengers are being delayed so much — they don't understand the delays, and are simply going down on to the Tube for the return journey.”
Businesses have also been hit hard, particularly companies which rely on customers who drive.
David Lidgate of Lidgate Butchers on Holland Park Avenue, the scene of a major water pipe replacement, said: “It always discourages people to come to your ar ea and it has got worse. Roadworks seem to be hugely over-policed now because of health and safety so the works cover a wider area than ever.”
Other factors include the start of major infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and the fixing of an estimated 180,000 potholes after the coldest winter in 31 years, which also caused more fractures than usual to underground water and gas pipes.
Top Gear presenter James May, who lives in Hammersmith and regularly gets delayed by the Goldhawk Road works on his way to the BBC, said: “I'm all for improving the roads, but I've never understood why nobody ever seems to be doing any work.
“It is quite staggering how quickly they put down the bollards and the diversion signs and then nothing happens. The very term roadworks has become a joke when so often there is no work.”
Thames Water, which responsible for up to 60 per cent of the works, said this year will be the peak for replacing leaky Victorian mains. A spokesman said: “More than half the roadworks in London are ours and we're sorry for the inevitable hassle. Ideally we wouldn't have to dig up the streets at all.”
Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's transport adviser, said: “Boris is waging a war on roadworks, and while it may be cold comfort for someone stuck on a bus, we know there is a lot of work to be done. But we have already done a lot to minimise the impact and we will also be running an annual summit to address the problem.”
Source Evening Standard
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