Category Archives: Local issues

HS2 on upcoming BRS closure

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FROM HS2


Clarification on 2 sets of Roadworks that have been recently advertised by LBH Highways 
There have been lots of residents contacting LBH via email & social media about the 2 sets of works below that they would like to provide clarification on: 
HS2 Road Closure of Breakspear Road South conflicting with Cadent Gas Road Closure of Ickenham Road/Ruislip High Street Junction – Feb 2026 

  • HS2 Road Closure of Breakspear Road South goes ahead as planned from 14/02 at 7am until 18/02 at 7pm
  • Cadent Gas Road Closure of Ickenham Road/Ruislip High Street Junction that was due to start 14/02 will now commence 26/01 & finish 13/02
  • HS2 Diversion Route will remain as previously stated (including via Ickenham Road/Ruislip High Street Junction)
  • There was an error in communication between LBH Highways & Cadent Gas that has now been resolved over the requested dates

 
Road Closure of Breakspear Road South (Service Road) for Affinity Water Main Replacement – March to July 2026 

  • Notice issued by LBH Highways incorrectly stated Road Closure of Breakspear Road South main carriageway
  • Confirmation received from LBH Highways that only the Service Road will be closed (rather than main carriageway) in the following 2 Phases:
    • Phase 1 = 30/03/26 to 27/05/26 (8am to 5pm daily) – Breakspear Road South Service Road – House Number 64 to 114 Copthall Road West
    • (note – junction of Copthall Road West & Breakspear Road South is CLOSED during Phase 1 works)
    • Phase 2 = 16/06/26 to 24/07/26 (8am to 5pm daily) – Breakspear Road South Service Road – House Number 2 to 42
    • (note – junction of Greenacres Avenue & Breakspear Road South Service Road is CLOSED during Phase 2 works)

 
New Future Works Breakspear Road South – 24/7 Road Closure over 5 Days – Sat 14/02 at 7am until Wed 18/02 at 7pm
 
HS2/SCS have agreed a Road Closure of Breakspear Road South that will take place 24 Hours a Day over a 5 Day Period from Sat 14/02 at 7am until Wed 18/02 at 7pm. 
These works have been scheduled to take place during the Feb 2026 School Half-Term to cause as little disruption as possible but we are aware there is never a good time to close this road. 
Previously LBH had been informed by HS2 that all Road Closures on Breakspear Road South would be completed in 2025 but the following works are now required and unfortunately due to the methodology of the works they will require Full Road Closures to complete them: 

  • Rip-Rap Works – to install permanent paving and bollards to make safe the run-off area around a Drainage Swale
  • To carry out a Trial Hole across the whole carriageway for a Sewer Connection that was previously removed during HS2 Enabling Works (this is a new instruction from HS2 not previously known about by SCS or LBH) 

Please note – once the Trial Hole data is received, HS2/SCS will need to complete the Sewer Connection which will require a further Road Closure that they would look to request for the May School Half-Term or the School Summer Holidays. 

The Diversion Route is via Breakspear Road, Bury Street (A4180), Ickenham Road (B466), High Road, Swakeleys Road (B467). 
There will be no access via Breakspear Road South during the Road Closure for Emergency Service Vehicles.

Upcoming BRS closure

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From HS2

Breakspear Road South
Type of works
Installation Works, Road closure
Estimated Start Date 14/02/2026
Estimated End Date 18/02/2026
What we are doing
Installation of permanent paving and bollards along the drainage swale north of the HS2 bridge and, a trial hole across the whole carriageway for utility investigation.
Local access to residential properties will be maintained either side of the road closure, however, there will be no through access for emergency services, cyclists and vehicles.
Location
South of the Chiltern Railway bridge and north of the HS2 bridge on Breakspear Road South.
Duration
Saturday 14 February at 7am until Wednesday 18 February at 7pm.
What to expect
24-hour full road closure, no through access for emergency services, cyclists or vehicles. Diversion route will be in place via Swakeleys Road B467/ High Road B466/ Ickenham Road/High Street/ Bury Street A4180/ Breakspear Road.
Our workforce may be on site one hour before the start time to set up and secure our equipment.
Access will be maintained for pedestrians using the Celandine route.
For a map
https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Final-AWN-Full-Road-Closure-of-BRS-14.02.2026.pdf
 

HS2 is undergoing a comprehensive reset to ensure it can be built efficiently and for the lowest reasonable cost. This work is being carried out in stages and will be completed in 2026. We will provide you with updates on the reset and what this means for our plans to build the railway in your area.
 
 

HS2 update

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1    SCS Noise Barrier Testing near Breakspear Road South – completion on Sun 11/01 – Postponed
The final Noise Barrier Test was due to be performed this Sun 11/01 within the HS2/SCS Site to the west of the entrance off Breakspear Road South. 

Update 09/01 – Please note that this has been postponed due to the weather forecasted for Sun 11/01 (Due to the sensitivity of the test it cannot be performed in less than favourable weather). I will update you once this final Test is rescheduled. 

The Acoustic Test will happen during the daytime (between 10am & 4pm) and will only last for a few minutes. It is unlikely to cause any noise disruption to residents
 
2    Breakspear Road South – 24/7 Road Closure over 5 Days – Sat 14/02 at 7am until Wed 18/02 at 7pm 

HS2/SCS have agreed a Road Closure of Breakspear Road South that will take place 24 Hours a Day over a 5 Day Period from Sat 14/02 at 7am until Wed 18/02 at 7pm. 

These works have been scheduled to take place during the Feb 2026 School Half-Term to cause as little disruption as possible but we are aware there is never a good time to close this road. 

Previously LBH had been informed by HS2 that all Road Closures on Breakspear Road South would be completed in 2025 but the following works are now required and unfortunately due to the methodology of the works they will require Full Road Closures to complete them: 

Rip-Rap Works – to install permanent paving and bollards to make safe the run-off area around a Drainage Swale

To carry out a Trial Hole across the whole carriageway for a Sewer Connection that was previously removed during HS2 Enabling Works (this is a new instruction from HS2 not previously known about by SCS or LBH) 
Please note – once the Trial Hole data is received, HS2/SCS will need to complete the Sewer Connection which will require a further Road Closure that they would look to request for the May School Half-Term or the School Summer Holidays.
 

Christmas Tree Collections

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Details here . Between Monday 5 and Friday 16 January, you can recycle real Christmas trees for free through the Council, providing all decorations and pots are removed. Trees taller than 6 foot need to be cut in half. Collections from houses: If you live in a house, place your tree at the edge of your property boundary (and visible to collectors) by 6am on your collection day. (It seems that 13th January is central Ickenham’s collection day) The Council’s information page (linked at the start of this post) makes no mention of whether this requires membership of the garden waste collection scheme. Given that the trees are placed separately to the tagged bags, maybe this is a free-of-obligation service.

Christmas and New Year Refuse Collections

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Bank holiday rubbish and recycling collection days Collection days for households and businesses during the bank holiday periods.
To minimise disruption to waste and recycling collections during the Christmas and New Year period, our crews will be working on Saturdays 20 and 27 December and Saturday 3 January.

Christmas collection days
Normal collection day > Revised collection day
Monday 22 December > Saturday 20 December
Tuesday 23 December > Monday 22 December
Wednesday 24 December > Tuesday 23 December
Thursday 25 December > Wednesday 24 December
Friday 26 December > Saturday 27 December

New Year holiday collection days
Normal collection day > Revised collection day
Monday 29 December > No change
Tuesday 30 December > No change
Wednesday 31 December No change
Thursday 1 January > Friday 2 January
Friday 2 January > Saturday 3 January

Please leave your rubbish out for collection by 6am, near your front gate, but not on the pavement. Separate arrangements are in place for flats and business premises.

West Ruislip HS2 works from Jan 5

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from HS2

What we are doing

From 5 January 2026, we will be continuing our work on the construction of the porous portal and the headhouse for our West Ruislip Portal site.

We will carry out the following activities:

  • Hydroscabbling: high-pressure water jets will scratch concrete surfaces to help new layers stick (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm and Saturday, 8am to 1pm)
  • Formwork and steel fixing (Monday to Saturday,  24 hours a day)

HS2 is undergoing a comprehensive reset to ensure it can be built efficiently and for the lowest reasonable cost. This work is being carried out in stages and will be completed in 2026. We will provide you with updates on the reset and what this means for our plans to build the railway in your area.

Download information relating to these works

https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/headhouse-works-at-west-ruislip-portal/#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=41c5bfb6-880b-48b1-9c3c-53daa4430300
or
https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AWN-Hydroscabbling-Jan-2026.pdf

HS2/Align/SCS Christmas working hours

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Christmas Working Hours for HS2 Contractors Align & SCS 

HS2 Main Contractor Align, who have built the Colne Valley Viaduct in LBH, have provided details of their Christmas 2025 Working Hours:  All Align Sites will close at midday on Tuesday 23/12/25 and will re-open on Monday 05/01/26 Security & some daily maintenance activities will be in place at Sites during these times  HS2 Main Contractor SCS, who operate the Sites in Hillingdon from the East Side of Harvil Road towards London, have provided details of their Christmas 2025 Working Hours:  All SCS Sites will close on Wednesday 24/12/25 and Sites will re-open on Monday 05/01/26 SCS Offices will reopen on Fri 02/01/26 Security & some daily maintenance activities will be in place at Sites during these times  The HS2 Helpdesk is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year by:
Freephone: 08081 434 434 | Minicom: 08081 456 472 | Email: hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
 
 

Roadworks – Swakeleys Rd/High Rd, Ickenham

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Richard Mascarenhas, Metropolitan Police, PCSO, WA Ickenham South Harefield reports that there are currently temporary traffic lights on the junction of SWAKELEYS ROAD and HIGH ROAD in Ickenham. This is causing significant delays in travel in the area. Please check the traffic before beginning your journey and use alternative routes if able. 

HS2 works update w/c 22/11/25

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Breakspear Road South Road Closure for Conveyor Bridge Removal – Fri 28/11 at 8pm to Sun 30/11 at 8pm
 
HS2/SCS have agreed with LBH that Breakspear Road South will be Closed at the Chiltern Railway Bridge while the Conveyor Bridge that oversails the Highway is removed These works have been rescheduled to take place on the weekend of Fri 28/11 at 8pm to Sun 30/11 at 8pm.
 
The Conveyor Bridge carries the Conveyor system that was used to transport the TBM Spoil/Material over Breakspear Road South towards the Treatment Area at Harvil Road Gate 1. Now that both TBMs have completed their tunnelling between West Ruislip and Greenpark Way in LB Ealing the Conveyors are being removed and the Bridges that carry the Conveyor can also be removed.
 
These works will involve laying Matting on the road surface to protect it, then using a Crane to lower the Bridge to ground level before dismantling and removing it. The road would then be cleared with the Matting removed before reopening to the public.
 

  • There will be no Emergency Services Access during this Road Closure due to overhead lifting operations on the carriageway.
  • The Pedestrian Crossing which runs diagonally underneath the Chiltern Line Bridge will be closed for the duration of this Road Closure (also due to overhead lifting).
  • Notices & Signage will be installed in advance to advise walkers of the Pedestrian Crossing Closure.
  • The Diversion Route has now been confirmed with HS2/SCS and is the usual Diversion via Swakeleys Road, Ickenham High Road, Bury Street, Breakspear Road 

Piling and Drainage Installation works for Noise Barrier in West Ruislip Embankment area – 28/07/25 to 27/03/26

From 28/07/25 to 27/03/26 HS2/SCS will be carrying out works to allow the construction of the Noise Barriers along the HS2 route between the Copthall Tunnel and West Ruislip Portal. These works will be happening during Core Hours only (Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm & Sat 8am to 1pm).

Update Nov 2025 – The Noise barrier Piling is being completed in 2 Phases. Please note that Phase 1 was completed in Oct 2025 and Phase 2 has now started in Nov 2025 (from w/c 17/11).
HS2/SCS will start by installing Concrete Piles to stabilise the ground, followed by the installation of Drainage Systems.