Fears of Hampstead gridlock and plummeting trade as Thames Water begins £3m project

Published: 22 July, 2010
by JOSIE HINTON

THAMES Water are being urged to “put right” work by contractors as they begin digging up one of Hampstead’s busiest streets to replace Victorian pipes.

The company has sparked fears of gridlocked roads and plummeting trade for small businesses in the area after announcing it will undertake a £3million project on Hampstead High Street and Heath Street in the coming months to replace six miles of leaking pipes.

From this Saturday, large sections of Heath Street, Hampstead High Street and Fitzjohn’s Avenue will be closed in one or both directions for up to 14 weeks with a one-way traffic system will be in operation.

Camden Council will also be resurfacing the entire length of Heath Street during the closure.

Residents and traders have accepted the need for the work but fear significant disruption to traffic and business when it gets underway. They are demanding Thames Water see the lengthy closures as an opportunity to repair streets scarred by numerous previous projects.

Hampstead councillor Linda Chung said: “There is going to be a lot of disruption for a long time because of this. I think people understand it needs to happen but what I am concerned about is that all the work is co-ordinated in one go. 

“All the hash that the previous contractors have made of our lovely streets can be put right. Beautiful Heath Street is in an awful mess due to being dug up so many times. As I have said to the contractors, it’s payback time. Our streets have been wrecked and this is the opportunity to sort it out.”

Farokh Khorooshi, chairman of the Hampstead 2020 campaign to improve the area’s streets, added: “What we want is for it to be done as well as possible so we don’t have to dig up the road again.”

Louis Quartly, Thames Water’s Project Manager, said: “Ideally we wouldn’t have to do this work at all, but the fact is that London’s water pipes are old and leaky and need replacing.

“Unfortunately, as with any work on this scale, there will be inevitable disruption, for which we apologise, but we would like to assure residents that we will do everything we can to reduce this as much as possible.

“We are liaising closely with the London Borough of Camden and other utility companies so that, where possible, we can co-ordinate our works and minimise disruption.”

Pete Desir of Mark Camera & Son fruit stall in Hampstead High Street, said: “It’s going to be a nightmare all round, frankly. We normally do our deliveries early in the morning in Heath Street but we’re not going to be able to do that and we’ve been offered no solution. 

“This could kill business in this area.”

Patrick Bourke, who runs a butchers stall in Hampstead High Street, said: “My main concern is over deliveries and whether I’ll be able to unload in the mornings. 

“These things also always tend to overrun so we’ll see what happens once everyone is back from their holidays in September.”

Tula Kritharis, who has run Bacchus Greek taverna in Heath Street for 32 years, said: “It’s bad enough with the lack of transport to get to this area but now the roads [will be] closed as well. 

“It just isn’t convenient for people to come to Hampstead and that hits trade. It’s already hard for small businesses to survive, which is why there are hardly any left.”