Transport for London criticised by Islington Council over Holloway Road closure plans

Roadworks: The closure is to allow for utilities to be moved out of the way
TfL
Chloe Chaplain11 October 2016

Transport for London is embroiled in a row with Islington Council after the closure of a main road is set to cause travel chaos for drivers.

Holloway Road will be closed for three months from October 21 as part of works to redevelop Upper Holloway Bridge

And Islington Council has criticised TfL for announcing the “unplanned” closure at “short-notice” and has accused it of causing disruptions by not planning ahead.

Cllr Claudia Webbe, Islington Council’s executive member for environment and transport, said: “I am dismayed at this short-notice, unplanned closure of one of Islington’s critically-important major roads.

“The news means this section of Holloway Road will, in effect, be closed in at least one direction for nearly three months, including over the October half term holiday, Christmas and New Year.

“It seems TfL underestimated the work that was needed, and as a result they claim there is no other choice but this last-minute arrangement, which will affect the lives of countless residents and businesses in Islington and far beyond.

“Bus journeys will take much longer, and alternative routes through the borough will bear the brunt of this closure, spreading disruption far and wide, including during the school half-term break and Christmas.

“Local residents and businesses will suffer the consequences of this misjudgement, which is unfair.

“I have asked the council to consider our options, including legal, whilst also working and challenging TfL to minimise the extent and scale of the disruption.”

But a TfL spokesman denied that the closure is because the amount of work had been underestimated.

He told the Standard: “We are moving a huge amount of utilities and these are not mapped very well in London so it is hard to tell how much work there is going to be.

“The work was always due to go ahead over Christmas but rather than having single lane closures we will have to have full road closures.

“It is actually the period where the roads are most quiet because people go away over the holidays.”

The closures will be between Fairbridge Road and Wedmore Gardens and bus routes 17, 43, 263, 271 and N41 will be diverted.

This will be followed by the full closure between 24 December 2016 and 16 January 2017, when Upper Holloway bridge will be demolished and replaced.

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