HS2/SCS have been in discussion with LBH Officers regarding the next Phase of works on Harvil Road that they hope to have completed by early July 2023 (prior to the major works on Moorhall Road for the Colne Valley Viaduct Crossing).

The 4 Week Full Road Closure has now been agreed with HS2/SCS, as this was seen as the best possible solution rather than facing a longer period of very disruptive Traffic Management under other proposals.

Please follow the link for the HS2 Communications regarding this Closure – For further information please see the works notification. https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/notice-of-harvil-road-closure/
The works being carried out during this Road Closure are the most disruptive remaining in the Realignment Programme, and once these works are completed, the remaining Phases of works in the Autumn should be carried out under temporary Traffic Lights before a final short Road Closure is required in order to transfer between the existing Road and the new Realigned Road.
LBH and HS2/SCS confirm the Full Road Closure will be from Mon 12/06 until Sun 09/07 in the section between the Dogs Trust and the Bridge by Skip Lane.

While the Road Closure is in place by the Dogs Trust, there will also be 4-Way Traffic Lights between HS2 Gate 1 and Skip Lane to allow Affinity Water and BT works near the Certas Oil Depot. Any other works that can be carried out by HS2/SCS while the Road Closure is in place will be encouraged, in order to maximise the amount of work undertaken during the Closure.

In Summary – This work will consist of 2 Parts; a Full Road Closure by the Dogs Trust, and 4-Way Traffic Lights between HS2 Gate 1 & Skip Lane junction.

Part 1:
o Mon 12/06 to Sun 09/07 – FULL ROAD CLOSURE
o Location – Dogs Trust to Skip Lane Bridge
o Utilities and Civils ties ins for new road
o Activities: Water Main installation, Diversion of existing Utilities, Highway & Drainage Construction, Existing Road Demolition, Resurfacing, Kerb Installations and Road Markings

Part 2
o Mon 12/06 for approx. 2 weeks – 4-Way Traffic Lights
o Location – HS2 Gate 1 to Skip Lane junction
o Affinity Water Hydrant works & BT works

Last night’s planned work didn’t happen, so:

Emergency pot hole repairs on Breakspear Rd South that will require the road to be closed from the Chiltern Bridge to the HS2 Site entrance.

They will take place from Friday 26/05 at 10pm until Saturday 27/05 at 5am and the road will be closed during those times to facilitate this.

As these have been approved as Emergency Repairs there is no time for a period of formal engagement.

Emergency pot hole repairs on Breakspear Rd South that will require the road to be closed from the Chiltern Bridge to the HS2 Site entrance.

They will take place from Thursday 25/05 at 10pm until Friday 26/05 at 5am and the road will be closed during those times to facilitate this.

As these have been approved as Emergency Repairs there is no time for a period of formal engagement.

The Greenway – Sewer Decommissioning completed

Barhale working on behalf of Thames Water returned to The Greenway for the final time to complete the decommissioning of the Sewer by filling it with concrete. The works will took place between Saturday 13/05 and were completed on Tuesday 16/05

Greenway Sewer – Bellmouth Removal
Barhale working on behalf of Thames Water built a Bellmouth entrance off Ickenham Road by the Soldiers Return Pub in Dec 2021 to facilitate the Greenway Sewer works. Now that these works are complete, Barhale returned to remove the Bellmouth entrance and reinstate and make good the area.
These works were completed on Friday 12/05.

During the reinstatement of the area, a Planter that was in place on the Footway will now be replaced by a Tree (at the request of the LBH Green Spaces Team). The remaining Kerb Line has been reinstated with new paving and tarmac being installed

Update of Next Phase of Harvil Road works
HS2/SCS have been in discussion with LBH Officers regarding the next Phase of works on Harvil Road that HS2/SCS hope to have completed by early July 2023 (prior to the major works on Moorhall Road for the Colne Valley Viaduct Crossing).

The latest update is that a 4 Week Full Road Closure has now been agreed with HS2/SCS, as this was seen as the best possible solution rather than facing a longer period of very disruptive Traffic Management (of 4-Way Traffic Lights then a Full Road Closure) under other proposals.

The works being carried out during this Road Closure are the most disruptive remaining in the Realignment Programme, and once these works are completed, the remaining Phases of works in the Autumn should be carried out under temporary Traffic Lights before a final short Road Closure is required in order to transfer between the existing Road and the new Realigned Road.

LBH and HS2/SCS are still to finalise the dates of the Full Closure but they will be from either Mon 05/06 until Sun 02/07 or more likely Mon 12/06 until Sun 09/07.

Discussions continue with Stakeholders such as the Dogs Trust as to whether some Night Shift working will be allowed, and if so this could reduce the overall length of the Full Road Closure.

Harvil Road – Temporary 30mph Speed Reduction
Harvil Road now has a temporary speed reduction to 30mph in the section between HS2 Gate 1 (near Shorthill Cottage) and Skip Lane junction. This speed reduction will be shown by 30mph Signs being placed on this section of the road by HS2/SCS with the speed reduction in place from when the road reopened on 19/02/23 until works are complete on the Realignment of Harvil Road (currently Oct/Nov 2023).

Rail Siding Test and Segment Delivery to West Ruislip
With the TBMs now fully operational, HS2/SCS need to increase the deliveries of Tunnel Segments (the concrete ‘rings’ required by the TBMs to construct the tunnel lining as they progress) to the West Ruislip Portal Site.

There is a new Railway Siding that has now been constructed that will provide direct access from the Chiltern Line into the Segment Yard at West Ruislip so that Tunnel Segments can be directly delivered into Site by Rail rather than by road/lorry. HS2 have recently been testing the Rail Siding and now plan to run the train up to five nights each week.

The plan will be for one train to arrive at West Ruislip each night delivering 20 rings, each comprising of 7 segments. The locomotive will then divide the train into two parts and shunt them into the Siding. The locomotive will then shut down while the gantry crane unloads the Segments, and the locomotive will restart at around 6am and shunt the train back into one piece prior to departure at around 7am. The volume of rail traffic on the Chiltern Line through West Ruislip means that the train can only deliver Segments at night so the train should arrive at West Ruislip after 11pm.

Tunnel Boring Machines Material Storage / Conveyor Update
HS2/SCS have advised that the current moving of Materials via lorry from the TBMs to storage areas within the HS2 Sites will now continue until June 2023 when the Main Conveyor is now expected to be operational.

It was due to be a temporary measure from January to March 2023 while the Main Conveyor System was constructed and once the Conveyor was operational all Materials coming out of the TBMs would be carried via the Conveyor to the Treatment Area at Harvil Road Gate 1 for distribution onto the Southern Sustainable Placement Area (SSPA).

There are 2 locations where the Materials from the TBM will be stored in the short term – north of the Chiltern Line just (by? – Ed) the Site Entrance from Breakspear Road South, and south of the Treatment Area off of Harvil Road.

Lorries carrying the Materials should be using the Internal Haul Road from West Ruislip Portal, crossing Breakspear Road South. Where the Material is to be stored south of the Treatment Area off Harvil Road, lorries are likely to continue across Breakspear Road South on the Haul Road and have to exit Gate 2 on Harvil Road, then travel the short distance by road before entering Gate 1 on Harvil Road for the Treatment Area (as there is no direct route within the Haul Roads to cross the Chiltern Line).

New Staff Car Park at West Ruislip Portal
The new extension of the Car Park for SCS Staff to use in now open at the West Ruislip Portal. Located on the Golf Course next to the existing Car Park (which used to be for The Fairway Pub), the extended Parking area has room for around 90 vehicles and the increased capacity has already led to a drop in complaints regarding HS2 workers Parking their vehicles in nearby residential roads.

Harvil Road – Temporary 30mph Speed Reduction
Harvil Road now has a temporary speed reduction to 30mph in the section between HS2 Gate 1 (near Shorthill Cottage) and Skip Lane junction. This speed reduction will be shown by 30mph Signs being placed on this section of the road by HS2/SCS with the speed reduction in place from when the road reopened on 19/02/23 until works are complete on the Realignment of Harvil Road (currently Oct/Nov 2023).