A major flyover in "urgent need of repair" has had renewed calls to be improved after part of HS2 was scrapped.
Gallows Corner in Romford has been labelled “unsafe” and some politicians and a resident have called for more funding to be allocated to it.
Last week, the Recorder reported that Transport for London (TfL) had written to Havering Council to request its view on whether it will need an environmental impact assessment - in effect, whether it will need to submit a planning application - for its proposal to "demolish and replace the A12 flyover" at Gallows Corner.
In June, TfL's director of investment delivery planning David Rowe said it was moving forwards with plans for a scheme to refurbish and strengthen the flyover, and had submitted a business case for funding to the Department for Transport.
But some residents and politicians have been disappointed with the speed of change since and said more must be done.
Brian Eagling, East Havering Residents’ Group councillor for Harold Wood, said: “We all know that bridge is in a state, the flyover is in a state – it's frightening when you go over it really.
“There should be money allocated by TfL to put a new system in,” he said.
RELATED NEWS: Gallows Corner, Romford flyover refurb funding bid launched
Cllr Eagling also felt that money from the scrapped northern section of railway network HS2 should go to Gallows Corner, adding: “Let’s have some of that money.”
Ray Best, Conservative councillor for Havering-atte-Bower, said he has written to prime minister Rishi Sunak about securing government funding in the wake of the HS2 announcement.
“It’s unsafe, it needs to be refurbished properly,” he said. “Having gone over it just a few weeks ago the surface is really bad.”
But he added: “I can’t see the logic in tearing down something and replacing it with an identical structure."
Cllr Keith Prince, also London Assembly member for Havering, too said that he will write to the government but was requesting funding for a replacement flyover.
"I've got a letter I'm drafting now to send to the minister [for transport]," he said last Thursday (October 12).
Cllr Prince believed a replacement would only be possible if the government could come up with more funding.
Dave Ainsworth, a Romford resident, felt Gallows Corner was too often closed for remedial work and called on Havering MPs to ensure the junction is added to the prime minister’s spending list.
“The last thing needed is just a patched-up construction,” he added.
Mr Rowe said TfL is working to secure funding for Gallows Corner, "which was built in the 1970s and is in urgent need of major repairs".
"We have assessed all options for its renewal thoroughly and are moving forwards with plans for a scheme which will refurbish and strengthen the flyover using the latest materials," Mr Rowe added.
"We have submitted a business case for funding to the Department for Transport (DfT) and are continuing work on our designs for the scheme while the business case is being considered by the DfT.
"This will allow us to move forwards with the scheme as quickly as possible if funding is approved.”
The DfT said on October 4 that the south east will benefit from a £6.5 billion transport investment as the government redirects vast HS2 savings, but made no mention of Gallows Corner.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here