RESIDENTS and motorists in Stanford-le-Hope are facing more disruption due to works taking place on a busy road. And a cut to water supplies while further repairs are carried out may follow.

Last week London Road was closed for the best part of two days while unannounced electrical works were carried out close to the rail crossing and today (Tuesday, 20 April) another stretch of road has been dug up because of a water main problem.

Workers on site have been unable to complete repairs and a traffic light system has been set up at the junction with Ruskin Road which will be in place overnight and at least through much of tomorrow morning.

The fault is with a valve underground and it appears likely that at some point, not necessarily tomorrow, it will have to be replaced and that may mean that water supplies to around 700 homes in the immediate area could be cut off while the work takes place.

Essex and Suffolk Water have been contacted for an official update.

Like its namesake in the west of the borough which has been blighted by roadworks for almost five years through constant utilities repair and replacement works, Stanford's London Road is no stranger to roadworks either.

Aside from recent upheavals while Thurrock Council introduced its controversial and somewhat botched traffic calming intervention to get more walkers and cycle riders on the road, utilities underneath it have frequently been in need of repair.

Last May there were lengthy roadworks to deal with gas leaks - which brought back memories of 'the hole that wouldn't go away', a long-running saga of repeat repairs.