Petts Hill Bridge improvement work gets green light
Work will begin next month on a £10m highways improvement scheme to widen Petts Hill Bridge and ease traffic congestion along the busy commuter and bus route.
The joint project involving Harrow and Ealing Councils, Transport for London and Network Rail will see Petts Hill Railway Bridge rebuilt to create four lanes of road traffic from the current two, and new pedestrian footpaths and cycle lanes introduced. This, along with changes to the signal timings for buses at Petts Hill Junction, will remove the pinch point along Northolt Road and improve traffic flow.
Some preparation works to cut back vegetation and build access to the site have already begun. Further construction preparation works will take place from August to October with the main rebuilding works to be carried out in December 2008.
Councillor David Millican, Ealing’s Cabinet member for Regeneration and Transport, said: "This scheme is a significant upgrade for the Petts Hill area. Not only will it alleviate a well-known bottleneck on the busy route between Ealing and Harrow, but it also makes it safer for pedestrians and improves access to local properties, which residents have been asking for."
Councillor Susan Hall, Harrow Council's portfolio holder for environment services, said: "This scheme is good news for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike. Keeping traffic moving in Harrow is a priority for us and we look forward to this scheme playing a major contribution to that."
David Brown, Managing Director of Surface Transport at Transport for London, said: "This scheme will greatly benefit users of the number 140 bus, which carries approximately 10 million passengers a year and is one of London’s key bus services. The improvements will reduce the delays currently experienced along this route, making the service more reliable. The project will also have substantial benefits for pedestrians and cyclists."
David Golding, Route Enhancement Manager for Network Rail, said: "This is a great example of joint working between us, TfL and the councils to improve the public’s travelling experience. I’d like to thank our lineside neighbours for their patience as we carry out these vital works. We are committed to delivering the improvements with minimal disruption to them as well as rail and road users."