2013 is set to bring frustration for travellers with a series of major, essential road works planned for Shepherd's Bush early in the New Year.

A month-long closure of a westbound section of Shepherds Bush Green is planned from January 28 so that National Grid, working with Skanska, can replace aging metal gas mains with tough new plastic pipes on the eastern far corner of the Green. 

It means that the road will be closed to westbound traffic from January 28 to Monday February 25, with diversions in place and potential for serious traffic disruption across Shepherd's Bush and into neighbouring Kensington and Chelsea.

After more than three years of work in Hammersmith & Fulham, this project signals the final part of National Grid’s national mains replacement programme in Shepherd's Bush Green to replace all metallic mains within 30 metres of buildings, which was agreed by law with the Health and Safety Executive.

The project will happen in three phases, beginning on Monday, January 14, 2013.

Phase 1: January 14 – 28 
Preparatory work will be carried out in Shepherd's Bush Green with one single lane closed outside W12 Shopping Centre.

Phase 2: January 28 – February 25 
The westbound carriageway of Shepherd's Bush Green will be completely closed between Holland Park Roundabout and the W12 Shopping Centre. 
Signed diversions, up to the A40 and down Old Oak Road then Askew Road, will be in place and engineering teams will be working seven days a week and extended hours to get the job completed as soon as possible. 
The bus stops in Shepherd's Bush Green near the W12 Shopping Centre will be suspended and some local bus services will change during this time.

Phase 3: from Monday 25 February for approximately eight weeks 
Single lane closures will continue on both Uxbridge Road (opposite Shepherd's Bush station) and Shepherd's Bush Green (outside W12 Shopping centre) as further gas mains replacement work is carried out.

The pedestrian crossing on Shepherd's Bush Green, outside W12 Shopping Centre, will be moved 11 metres away, but will remain fully open with people still able to cross the road easily and safely for the entire duration of the works.

National Grid construction operations engineer, Patrick Nathan, says: " These gas mains are getting old and they need to be replaced now to help make sure that local homes, businesses and community facilities continue to enjoy safe and reliable gas supplies for cooking and heating.

"We’ve sat down with Transport for London and the local authorities to carefully plan how we can deliver this work with as little disruption as possible. Work was scheduled for after the Christmas and January sales period to make sure it doesn’t have any impact on what is a very busy time for retailers.

"We’ll do all we can to complete the work ahead of schedule and if we can lift the road closure sooner we will."

Computerised Variable Message Signs will give road users up–to-date information on how the work is progressing and there will be clearly signposted diversions during the project.

The diversion route takes motorists travelling from Holland Park Avenue and Holland Road up to West Cross, the A40 Westway, Old Oak Road and Askew Road. The bus lane from Uxbridge Road to Shepherds Bush Green will remain open to all traffic while the closure is in place.

National Grid will be sending letters to local residents and businesses at the start of the New Year and will regularly update them throughout the project. Local bus passengers will also be updated about any changes to their bus routes. Other public transport, such as overground trains and the underground at Shepherds Bush stations will not be affected.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council says it has organised that other companies, including Thames Water, carry out works in the area at the same time as the gas works, so that the road is only dug up once and minimises disruption in future for local residents and road users.

TfL contractors will fill in the ramp at the unused and sealed off subway on the southwest corner of Holland Park Roundabout and will carry out bridge safety improvement works, replacing the existing pedestrian guard rail on the roundabout with a metal safety fence.

 

December 14, 2012