We are writing to you again to request that Thames Water delay Phase 3 of the Greenway closures in order to allow Newham Council time to construct safe diversions for walking, wheeling and cycling.
Since September 2024, we have been contacted by the following people who have used the Greenway diversion during the Phase 1 closure:
- A chef who was hit by a car when crossing Manor Road at the diversion, who suffered heavy bruising, abrasions and lacerations (they tried to report this to police but missed 24 hour time limit due to being laid up)
- A mobility scooter user who uses the Greenway to visit their mother daily, and is constantly impeded by the temporary signage on the pavement
- An epidemiologist who had their foot run over by a car whilst he was stopped at lights on Abbey Road (reported to police—no action was taken because the junction is not covered by CCTV )
- A physiotherapist whose cycle wheel got caught in the cracked road surface on Leywick Street, causing them to fall, and to suffer a broken arm
- A homelessness charity worker who fell off their bicycle on Abbey Road when trying to avoid temporary signage, who suffered heavy bruising
- Almost 100 people who have contacted us to say that they find the diversion dangerous and frightening, many of whom have reported close shaves with motor vehicles on Abbey Road
We have had more correspondence on the Greenway diversion than on any other issue. This reflects the high volume of Newham residents using the Greenway and that, as seen above, many who live in Newham depend on the Greenway for their day-to-day travel. All these people have been put in danger by this unsafe diversion and your failure to meaningfully contribute or coordinate a safe alternative.
We have already written to you to advise that the diversion routes proposed by Thames Water for Phase 3 are particularly unsafe. We are concerned that the list of Greenway diversion injuries will lengthen, and that “close shaves” will become “people killed in road traffic collisions”. If we are contacted by someone who is injured on the diversion after you begin Phase 3, we will be telling them that Thames Water were warned and chose to ignore us.
Once again – you must delay Phase 3 of the Greenway closures in order to allow Newham Council time to construct safe diversions for walking, wheeling and cycling.
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Thames Water’s reply:
Thank you for your email regarding our essential work on the Greenway. We take safety and wellbeing extremely seriously, which is one of the key reasons we are carrying out this project in the first place.
Since the beginning, we have liaised with London Borough of Newham, as the Highway Authority, and continue to meet with them on a weekly basis when safety for cyclists, along with other road-users and pedestrians, is discussed. We have contributed financially to the measures already in place and have taken on board the official safety advice given to us at every step of our planning.
As we have previously said, these works are vital to ensure services continue to everyone living in the area and the Greenway will re-open once these works are finished. We understand the disruption this is causing but when we opened this route to the public, it was done with an agreement the Greenway would need to shut when repair work to the pipes underneath is required.
However, I can confirm we taken the decision to delay extending the closure of the Greenway to Upper Road until the New Year. This has been updated on the website, and all site signage is currently being updated.