I've been contacted by a number of residents, who have raised concerns about the sinkhole on Hartley Hill, road closure and the fact that some drivers are by-passing it. I asked Council officers for an update and received the below response.
"As you may be aware, a sinkhole appeared in the carriageway on Hartley Hill Purley last week. Due to the severity of the sinkhole, the road had to be closed to traffic immediately for safety reasons while the cause of the sinkhole was investigated.
"Thames Water attended site to inspect its drainage assets and confirmed no issues were found. Further investigations were carried out by our contractor, and it was suspected that the sinkhole may have been caused by a failed soakaway in the carriageway. The failed soakaway is approx. 4.2m deep and because of the excavation depth that would be needed to repair the soakaway, it is a Health & Safety requirement that a Temporary Works Design must be put in place, to allow the remedial works to be completed without any danger to the workers and members of the public.
"Arrangements are currently being made for the necessary works permit and traffic management to be put in place. It is anticipated that the remedial works would take approx. 3 to 4 weeks to complete, subject to no unforeseen circumstances. This is due to the time needed to prepare the Temporary Works Design, procure, and deliver all the necessary materials to site.
"Once the works permit has been granted and the traffic management approved, a formal diversion route would be put in place and advanced warning signs erected advising of the precise dates/times of the road closure, and for traffic to follow the diversion signs put in place. I will update you when information about the diversion route to be put in place becomes available, and the exact start date of the remedial works."
I have conveyed residents' frustration, given this area of my ward has faced a fair number of road closures as a result of repairs/emergency works in recent months. I have also asked officers to be clearer on timescales and ensure proper signage is placed.
I very much hope these repairs are carried out asap.
Cllr Samir Dwesar
