Facelift on the cards for the Heathway

BarkingMad · Site Admin Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 33

Work is due to start on a major facelift for Dagenham Heathway as part of the Council's plans to regenerate the Borough and make it a more attractive place to live and visit.

The work forms part of the first phase of the Heathway public realm improvements and will start in earnest on Tuesday, 29 May.

Public meetings were held last year and information leaflets distributed to more than 1,000 households asking people for their comments on the planned improvements.

The innovative designs, which received significant public support, will see a complete redesign of the Heathway streets, pavements and street furniture.

The aim of the scheme is to revitalise the Heathway to make it a focus for shopping and business by providing a quality environment that is attractive and safe for residents and customers.

The improvements include the removal of guard rails, unwanted signs, the installation of new lights and benches, new granite footways and kerbs, traffic calming measures, bus priority measures, new traffic signalling as well as the introduction of a 20mph zone and short stay car parking and loading bays.

The first phase of improvements will take place between Parsloes Avenue and Church Elm Lane and are estimated to take between nine and 12 months.

Work will begin along the footpaths with the clearing of the planters and railings while old and worn pavements will be replaced with new granite ones. Old signs and street furniture will be removed and replaced with new and modern furniture, cycle rails will be added and the existing street lighting will be replaced with new and brighter lighting.

Roadworks along the Heathway will start after the Town Show parade in July, and this will mean traffic will have limited access southbound, where diversions will be in operation. It is anticipated this work to the highway will take between 9 to 12 weeks, with the bulk of the works being complete in the school holidays.

Cllr Sid Kallar, Executive Member for Regeneration, said: "We know residents in Dagenham have been waiting some time for these improvements to take place, so I'm pleased to say that within a matter of days work will start to transform the Heathway.

"We know how important the Heathway is to Dagenham residents, but recently it has become apparent that it is in need of a major overhaul to make it a thriving shopping hub for local residents and visitors."

The first phase of improvement works will cost £2.7 million and is jointly funded by the Council and Transport for London, who have designated the Heathway as one of the Mayor's 100 public spaces.

The Council will be attempting to secure future funding so the improvement work can be extended all the way down the Heathway to Chequers Corner.

For more info: http://www.barking-dagenham.gov.uk/2-press-release/press-release-menu.cfm?item_code=2784