Drivers and residents slam "pointless" road closure in Canvey
Wittem Road has been closed since February
Angry drivers and homeowners have slammed a ‘pointless’ road closure. The two-and-a-half week closure is in place in Wittem Road, Canvey Island since February 20.
The partial closure to traffic is set to last until March 9. Residents claim they have seen ‘no work being done’ but Essex and Suffolk Water say they undertook “essential” work to replace a water pipe and now says the road “needs to be made safe.”
Sharing updates online, residents claim no work is taking in the road. Barry O’Brien, 77, said: “I’ve not seen any work happening at all there. I can’t see the point. It all seems a bit of a joke to be honest. It’s affecting everyone, residents, visitors, deliveries. It feels like it’s total madness.”
Videos shared online show bollards across the road at two points, signs and a patch of new tarmac in the middle of the closure. The island street is used as a cut through at times when traffic is bad, according to residents. It runs between Mornington Road and Climmen Road.
“Furious” mother-of-two Tina Smith, 32, added: “It’s absolutely ridiculous, why is nothing being done there. I cannot get my head around it. I say it needs to be looked into asap. Everyone is angry about it and we deserve better. There is no information or sign about when it’s reopening. We shouldn’t be treated like this. It’s the last thing we need, especially with all the new homes being built.”
Carly Gray, head of water networks at Essex and Suffolk Water, said although the pipe replacement is finished, it’ll take some time for the road to become fully safe.
She added: “As part of the reinstatement, we have laid concrete beneath the surface, and this needs time to properly cure before tarmac can be put down. This curing period is essential, and customers will be able to see the concrete while this takes place.
“Once the concrete has fully set, we’ll return to lay the final tarmac surface. We’re aiming to reopen the road by Monday March 9 and would like to thank residents for their patience while this final stage is completed.”