Flooding on Oxford Street brings roadworks forward

Having taken the lead in getting Oxford Street back up and running, Westminster Council has also taken full advantage of the unfortunate flooding by bringing forward scheduled road works.

The carriageway on the famous high street was due to undergo resurfacing later this year after what is expected to be one of the busiest summers on record.

But after a water main blew a huge hole in the road on Thursday night last week (19th), transport planners decided to bring forward those works so businesses and tourism would not be affected later on in the year.

Westminster City Council commissioner for transport Martin Low has led the project to get Oxford Street up and running again after flooding affected several high profile shops late on Thursday night.

He said: "This will avoid the planned carriageway re-surfacing works later this year for the eastbound carriageway and reduce traffic disruption.

"We took the opportunity to help minimise any impacts to business and visitors in the West End.

"We have made incredible progress, laying almost 800 tonnes of material over a 55 hour period covering 3,115 square metres of the highway."

"It just shows what happens when teams work together.

"The big issue now is stopping these major bursts happening to start with, and there is only one smart long-term answer: Allow Thames Water to invest in London's ageing water and sewage system.

"The council pressed Ofwat in 2010 to accept Thames Water's five-year investment plan in 2010 covering the period 2010 to 2015. Ofwat cut the proposed investment program by £900m and that will delay the replacement of old water mains like the one that burst in Oxford Street."

The road was fully re-opened to traffic at 4.30pm on Wednesday 25 January 2012.