Neighbour fears roadworks could put lives in danger
A neighbour has said lives could be put in danger by a series of roadworks which have caused miles long diversions. David Gordon says long-running works by Thames Water have caused chaos for residents living around Combe Lane which has been blocked due to the water company replacing 250 metres of pipes. Having been closed off for almost a month there have been a number of complaints directed at the company starting with the lack of consultation with residents when the works were first announced.
With rubble now blocking the road to vehicles they are forced to take a five-mile diversion just to get onto Petworth Lane which leads away from the village. As well as the disruption and extra fuel costs associated with the disruption, Mr Gordon was most concerned with the lack of access for emergency service vehicles. He now says response times could be affected by 10 to 15 minutes due to the works which could be “critical” as he claims two major fires have occurred in the area in the past three years.
READ MORE:Disabled Ewell wheelchair user injured going to Aldi due to state of pavements “The road is physically blocked, you couldn’t get a fire truck or an ambulance through there no matter how much you tried. They just don’t seem to have taken any of this into account, the work has to be done but there’s no real consultation with residents who have had to endure this for a month,” he said.
“They’ve put their own assessment of health and safety above residents living in the streets. There has to be 10 to 15 minutes added to a callout, I would say if a house is on fire that can mean the difference between saving people and the property going up in flames.
The roadworks are still not scheduled to be finished until later this month (Image: Surrey Live / Darren Pepe)
He added: “If someone is having a major medical emergency I think if the worst happens you could see fatalities. They should consult with residents and offer some financial restitution in light of the added fuel and time it’s taken out of their lives at a time when nobody can afford any extra.”
Mr Gordon also called for work on the repairs to be sped up as well saying he has been by Combe Lane on several occasions to see “nothing happening”. He also said greater access could be achieved by moving the rubble currently blocking the road. In response to the complaints, Thames Water gave a short statement saying it expected the works to be completed towards the end of the month.
The company also stressed the importance of its workers’ safety during the coming weeks. The spokesperson said: “We’re replacing over 250 metres of pipes on Combe Lane. The work permits are in place till August 28 and there is a road closure in place so our engineers can work safely.”
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