MOTORISTS are still being urged to
avoid travelling along the A49 London Road after a sewer collapse caused
a huge hole on London Bridge near Stockton Heath, Warrington, although
the road is now open with a temporary traffic light system in operation.
The council’s highways inspectors have been out on site this morning with colleagues from United Utilities to assess the situation and determine the best course of action. They are currently using cameras to urgently inspect the hole.
One lane of A49 London Road, between the London Bridge Pub and Birchdale Road, has now re-opened and is being operated under a temporary traffic light system. United Utilities are still on site carrying out investigations, with repair works expected to start in the morning.
Drivers are asked to use alternative routes if possible.
Road re-surfacing has recently been carried out along the stretch of road.
The hole has appeared at the junction of Birchdale Road, Appleton, directly opposite the London Bridge pub.
One theory is that the recent re-surfacing works may have caused the problem, although another is that an old sewer pipe has collapsed following works to remove a blockage.
Residents living on Birchdale Road say it is a miracle it didn’t collapse when someone was driving over it.
One resident said: “It is a miracle no one was seriously injured or possibly killed. God knows what the impact would have been if it had collapsed with a car on it.”
Police are advising motorists to avoid the area, with the road closed in both directions and to seek alternative routes.
The road closure has already impacted on residential roads on the Cobbs estate, with bottle necks being created at the Lumb Brook bridge.
6 Comments
and the council are looking into it:)
or rather United Utilities are. Not sure why the main road needs to be fully closed, a set of traffic lights and single lane working should ease some congestion.
Knee jerk reaction. They do need thinking time, and probably have to call a consultant in to make a decision.
Why wasn’t this found when either resurfacing or clearing the blocked sewer. Some one is clearly at fault. That this area should be sealed off is simply not good enough. I agree that traffic lights and sigle line working should be possible. That, of course, is too easy for WBC!
WBC waste of time, good thing someone else is doing it as WBC wont get it right first time.
What is happening to all of the sewerage that uses the pipe that has now collapsed. Have they got the main road open yet.