HS2/SCS have reported that they have found a failed Water Chamber Metal Cover on Harvil Road Northbound Carriageway near the Dogs Trust. Having inspected the Cover and the Tarmac area around it they are not confident that it will withstand much further traffic driving over it without completely failing so have had to take action on the grounds of road safety.

As such HS2/SCS have coned off the area around the Water Chamber Cover for safety reasons and installed a Traffic Priority System that allows the Southbound Traffic to flow normally (with Northbound Traffic having to give Priority to Southbound Traffic). This was the best workable solution in this area as 2-Way traffic flow cannot be maintained with the area coned off without installing temporary Traffic Lights that would reduce traffic flow to 1 Lane Only (due to limitations with the remaining road width).

The Traffic Priority System is likely to remain in place over the weekend and will then be part of the scheduled HS2/SCS Lane Closure for the Water Main Commissioning from Mon 30/10 to Sun 12/11.

Please see the information below which explains in more detail the reasoning behind the delay to the Lane Closure (by 1 week) and the postponement of the Road Closures until Jan 2024. Please be assured that this is incredibly frustrating for LBH Officers and well as other partners that have to change plans such as Emergency Services planning and TfL for the Bus Diversions.

The positive is that HS2/SCS have been open and transparent about the reasons for the delays/postponements when they could have continued with their original planned dates knowing that they would then require additional works and Traffic Management on Harvil Rd before the new Realignment would be completed.

HS2 have decided to split the previously advertised 4 Week Programme of works to complete the Realignment of Harvil Road into 2 smaller sections of work. There will still be a 2 Week Lane Closure from Mon 30/10 until Sun 12/11 by the Dogs Trust for the essential task of commissioning of the new Affinity Water Main (this has also been delayed by 1 week from the scheduled start date of 23/10).

The 3 Week Full Road Closure will now be moved into January 2024 (likely dates 08/01 to 28/01) where all other activities are carried out before the new Realigned section of Harvil Road is opened to the public.

The reasons for the delay in carrying out the Full Road Closure and subsequent opening of the new Realigned Harvil Road is down to factors including issues with:

• Network Rail Access Possessions to complete the new Chiltern Bridge
• Delays in delivery of precast Bridge Parapets from supplier in Ireland
• Gaining agreement with SSEN in order to energise new cable route
  Full details of the 2 Sections of work (1. Lane Closure & 2. Full Road Closure) are detailed below:

Section 1 – Mon 30/10 – Sun 12/11)

Lane Closure Northbound with 3-Way Traffic Lights by The Dogs Trust

Utilities Commissioning works

• Pressure testing
• Chlorination / de chlorination
• Water sampling (3 to 5 Days) & full commissioning of the new water main
• Main water connections
• Decommissioning of the existing water main in the temporary road alignment

Section 2 – January 2024 (likely to be Mon 08/01 to Sun 28/01) – tbc

The Road Closure is split into 2 parts (with exact dates to be agreed):

• Mon 08/01/24 to Sun 14/01/24 – 1 Week Road Closure at Skip Lane side
• Mon 15/01/24 to Sun 28/01/24 – 2 Week Road Closure at Dogs Trust side

The Road Closures have been planned so there remains Access for the Skip Lane Businesses and the CERTAS Oil Depot at all times which is achieved by splitting down the Road Closure into 2 smaller parts.

Part 1 – Road Closure at Skip Lane (likely dates Mon 08/01/24 to Sun 14/01/24)

• Access for Skip Lane & Oil Depot from Dogs Trust side
• Civils Works Skip Lane
  o Hillingdon street lighting works (excavation, ducting, sleeves, pavement, post installation)
  o Electrical installation
  o Road Drainage works / Tie-in works
  o Traffic island construction
  o Road marking & signage
  o Kerb and pavement works
  o Fencing

Part 2 – Road Closure at Dogs Trust (likely dates Mon 15/01/24 to Sun 28/01/24)

• Access for Skip Lane & Oil Depot from Swakeleys Road/Harvil Rd
• Civil Works Skip Lane
  o Traffic Management re-arrangement
  o Skip Lane sheetpiles cutting
  o Road Drainage works / Tie-in works
  o Earthworks – Backfill
• Civil Works Dogs Trust
  o Hillingdon street lighting works (excavation, ducting, sleeves, pavement, post installation)
  o Electrical installation
  o Traffic island construction
  o Surfacing / Road Construction
  o Kerb and pavement works
  o Road marking
  o Safety barriers & Fencing installation

VMS Signage Installation Information – Harvil Rd Closure

Road Signs will be updated to show the exact dates of the Road Closures.

Bus Route U9 Diversion during Harvil Road Closures

TfL have confirmed that Bus Route U9 will run on Diversion during the Harvil Road Closures.

A full Timetable will be in operation but the Buses will leave Uxbridge and go as far as A40 Swakeleys Roundabout before beginning their Diversion along the A40 to Denham Roundabout, then along the A412 North Orbital Road, then onto Moorfield Road, then Moorhall Road and then finally onto Harvil Road and continuing on the normal Bus Route towards Harefield.

From 9 October to 5 November, we will be carrying out utility works and construction activities to build and finalise the connection sections for the Harvil Road realignment.

The construction activities that need to be completed during the closure include:

• Main water connections, including pressure testing
• Street lighting & electrical installation
• Highway & drainage construction
• Resurfacing, white lining and installation of street furniture
• Earthworks & fencing installation

To carry out the works safely, we will need:

• a lane closure from 9 to 15 October, between the Dogs Trust and our site entrances (gate 2) and,
• a road closure from 16 October to 5 November between Certas bellmouth and the Dogs Trust for 24 hours a day for the three week period.

Please see details of the works   https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/harvil-road-closure-october-2023/

From 9 October to 5 November 2023
Between 8am and 6pm Monday to Sunday
What to expect
Road closure and temporary traffic signage
The closure will remain in place until works are completed
Operatives in the work area, as well as barriers and plant vehicles to construct the new road
What we will do
Maintain access to your property at all times
Clearly sign post the diversion route
Keep disruption to a minimum