Four months after the full closure of the A127 Eastern Avenue East flyover for rebuilding started in June, residents, motorists and business owners are still in the dark about when the junction will reopen.
While TfL previously told Hornchurch & Upminster MP Julia Lopez it was “committed” to providing a new completion date by the end of October, it did not confirm this to the Recorder.
Havering Chamber of Commerce has now claimed that the entire scheme had to be “redesigned” after unexpected ground conditions led to delays.
In an update on Facebook, the organisation said: “TfL explained that major engineering problems have made the project far more complex than expected.
“Unexpected pockets of shale were found underground, which meant the original construction method of horizontal directional drilling couldn’t be used.
“As a result, the entire scheme has had to be redesigned and is now effectively a different project to the one that began earlier this year.”
When this paper asked TfL for its response to these claims, it did not confirm them.
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The Recorder was instead provided with the same statement as previously from Scott Haxton, TfL’s director of capital delivery, who said: ”The renewal of the ageing Gallows Corner flyover is essential to ensuring the safety and reliability of the road network in Havering.
“We are working closely with Essex & Suffolk Water, who are replacing an ageing water main at the same time as work on the flyover to help to avoid future disruption.
“We recognise the impact that the delay to the project is having on people in the area and are urgently working with our partners to confirm a revised timeline.
“We will be sharing further details about this with stakeholders and the local community as soon as possible.”
Essex & Suffolk Water directed the Recorder to TfL when asked for a comment.
TfL’s contractor did not respond to a request for a comment.
