STANFORD-le-Hope will be hit by a massive influx of lorries for four evenings and nights at the end of the month.

It is being caused by emergency bridge work on the Manorway and means that for two nights (between 7pm and 5am) all inbound HGV traffic for London Gateway port and logistics park will be diverted through Stanford town centre via the A1013 (Stanford Road), London Road, Church Hill and Corringham Road and for the second two nights all HGV traffic will have to exit the port and park in the opposite direction. 

The cause of the problem is the bridge over Southend Road where bridge joints on the structure have deteriorated.

The bridge over Southend Road needs urgent and essential repairs.

The joints are critical to the long‑term integrity of the bridge, and replacement is essential to prevent further deterioration. 

While undertaking that work, the council says it will also resurface the carriageway over the bridge, which must be completed at the same time as the joint replacement.

The Manorway is currently being subjected to drainage repair work and installation of new traffic camera equipment which has caused significant congestion. That work is scheduled to be completed by Saturday (14 March).

Work on repairs to the bridge, and the subsequent diversions are programmed to start on Monday, 30 March, working times will be 7pm to 5am and work will be completed by 5am on Friday, 3 April.  

advertisement

The Manorway will be open to traffic as normal during the day.

The directional closures are planned as follows:

Between 7pm on Monday, 30 March and 5am Wednesday, 1 April the overnight closure will be on the eastbound carriageway.

Between 7pm on Wednesday, 1 April and 5am on Friday, 3 April the overnight closure will be on the westbound carriageway. 

The council says: "We fully appreciate the impact this work will have on local residents, due to the traffic being diverted through residential areas. 

"We have explored all options to minimise the impact however, there are currently no alternative routes suitable for the diverted traffic and the works cannot be carried out safely without a full road closure.

"The work does need to proceed as planned and it is essential to protect and maintain the integrity of the bridge structure and prevent the need for longer term closures.

"We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause."

In addition, residents on London Road and local motorists will be affected by other significant work after the weekend.

From Monday (16 March) the Rookery Corner junction will be closed to all traffic wanting to join Stanford Road, meaning a repeat of the recent diversion via the Manorway or via Butts Lane, Walton's Hall Road and Buckingham Hill Road. Entry to Stanford from Stanford Road will remain possible.

The cause of the closure is footpath work and moving a bus shelter on the section of the pavement between Butts Lane and Rookery Corner. It's work deemed suitable under the contentious Stanford Active Transport Plan, which has already seen unwanted speed bumps installed on local roads and speed restrictions that few in the area signed up for.

Work beginning on Monday is scheduled to take place for two weeks on weekdays only between 8am and 5pm. The works will mean diversions for the 100 and 200 bus services heading westwards towards Grays and Chadwell. Works service and school buses will also be affected. 

The footpath will be closed during the work. 

Footpath work will mean the closure of London Road in one direction for two weeks

To round off local closures, Network Rail have advised that its crossing on London Road will be closed from 1.15am on Sunday (15 March), until 3am on the following Monday, meaning through traffic on London Road to or from the town centre will not be possible.

All the new diversions come two weeks after residents suffered huge disruption when London Road was closed for two months in both directions for gasworks.

Stanford West ward councillor Neil Speight said: "This is clearly news that is not going to be very welcome to Stanford residents, particularly on top of the London Road gas roadworks that have caused two months of disruption to local life.

"There is very little we can do but 'grin and bear it'. 

"I know and trust the capacity of the Stanford community to come together and I just ask everyone to understand there is nothing by way of an alternative during the Manorway closure. The Manorway bridge has to be made safe. There is no option or alternative diversion.

"Hopefully, as it's over Easter and at night this won't impact on schools but there is obviously going to be a lot more heavy traffic passing through the town.

"If there is any credit to be given, when the bridge problem was discovered and identified as urgent, it was estimated the work was going to take 11 days. I raised it with officers and some judicious scheduling has cut that by more than half, but it's still not going to be great for the town and many residents may end up with sleepless or sleep-interrupted nights as the lorries pass through. 

"I'm afraid there is no real credit about the work between Butts Lane and London Road, necessitating closure in one direction. 

"I don't think many people agree it's necessary. To my mind the whole Stanford Active Travel Plan is a joke imposed by nanny state bureaucrats people who've nothing better to do than spend public cash on spurious schemes in areas they know nothing about.   

"However, trying to stop it is like plaiting fog - but it's not been for the want of my trying.  

"Let's bear it together, look out for the safety of the elderly, infirm and young as a community in the evenings when the lorries roll through and get through it with a smile, even if it's through very gritted teeth. 

"As a London Road resident, I know the impact of the gas works and I'm not looking forward to this, but it is only temporary and we will come out the other side of it, I am sure."