Swanscombe landslip road dug up 47 times in four years, Dartford MP says

Chalk cliffs under the A226 Galley Hill Road collapsed on a building

A road that collapsed on to a building in Swanscombe is probably one of the most dug up roads in the South East, according to the local MP.

Gareth Johnson said he met Thames Water last September because the road had been dug up 47 times in four years.

The Galley Hill Road cliff collapse last week has led to a road closure, loss of water and internet supplies and major disruption in the area.

The BBC has approached the water company for comment.

Openreach said about 1,500 phone and broadband customers were affected and it would take "a few days to get sorted out".

The spokesman said engineers had been working hard to restore services but it was a "complex repair job with both copper and fibreoptic infrastructure involved".

After the road collapse saw debris fall on a warehouse on 10 April, water supplies were cut off and police closed the road. Thames Water said the cliff collapse damaged a water main under the A226.

The area has been left gridlocked, with tankers providing water, residents and businesses said.

Resident David Backhouse said people could not get out of their own "jammed up" roads, and local man Nigel Porter feared repairs could take "months, maybe years".

Lisa Brookshaw, from a vehicle repair firm, worried that companies "might actually have to move out", while shopkeeper Yvonne Johnson said business was quiet and compensation unlikely.

The collapse damaged a water mains and cut off supplies

Talks were held on 22 September last year between the Dartford MP and Thames Water.

"They discussed that London Road had been dug up 47 times by Thames Water over the past four years and that it was probably one of the most dug up roads in the South East", a spokesman for Mr Johnson said.

"Thames Water agreed to work on a number of measures to improve their performance."

The MP has demanded a solution, describing the problem as "a major headache for people living in that area".

The company has not yet responded to Mr Johnson's comments.

In an earlier statement, Thames Water said: "Initial investigations indicate that the ground under the road could be at risk of further movement.

"The road therefore remains closed for the safety of motorists. A diversion route is in place and we're sorry for any disruption this may cause."

After the road collapsed, the company said a geotechnical survey was under way to determine the cause.

It also said that it was exploring options to install temporary pipework to reconnect properties to the water supply network and that water tankers would remain in the area until this was completed.

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