Single lanes on Greenford Road have caused major traffic jams

Picture: Google Streetview

Roadworks on the A40 Greenford Roundabout that are turning ten minute journeys into hour-long commutes will continue until mid-November.

The cause of the issues – repair work on the railway bridge over the Greenford Road – will continue until Christmas Eve, but Network Rail said the impact on traffic should end sooner.

News that commuters will only have to put up with a single-lane on Greenford Road for another two months will be little solace for many.

Local resident Sonia Shah lives near William Perkin High School, and suffers with a chronic disorder.

She missed her scheduled blood test a week ago because she was worried she would not be back in time to pick up her kids.

She said, “I spoke to my partner and cancelled my two appointments until I know for sure I feel relaxed before I go and have plenty [of] time to get back.”

“Since Monday it’s been such bad traffic I’ve not yet rebooked.”

One Northolt resident, Ann, told the Local Democracy Service that her commute to Perivale and back had turned from a ten minute journey into one that could take two hours.

On three days last week Ann’s daughter had to walk the four miles to and from her school because traffic was so heavy. This meant she wasn’t back until after 5pm, which would become an issue as the nights got colder and darkness fell earlier.

Ann said: “I’ve also missed a doctors’ appointment because I couldn’t get back home in time. It’s just an absolute nightmare.”

More roadworks near the Tesco store in Perivale have been creating an additional backlog into the A40, she said.

“No-one tells us these things until the work has started. Now the Council have put something on their facebook page about the issues.

“I don’t know why this work wasn’t done or started in the half-term holidays,” she said.

A Network Rail spokesman said there had been complaints “as there often is when work on this scale is carried out”.

He said: “However, we have responded to residents and businesses who have asked us for information. The congestion has been further exacerbated by several accidents nearby in recent weeks.”

Many residents have asked why the work couldn’t have been begun during the school holidays, to which Network Rail replied timing had been dependant on a number of factors, including availability of resources, contractors, and local authority permission.

It issued a statement saying: “The work will increase the lifespan of the bridge. As with anything, over time railway bridges need to have maintenance carried out to keep them running safely.”

Ealing Council said the works were originally planned to take place under a full road closure of Greenford Road.

A spokesman said: “However, following extensive discussions with Network Rail, we persuaded them to keep the road open.”

Ged Cann, Local Democracy Reporter

September 19, 2019