Hornchurch & Upminster MP Julia Lopez has demanded that Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, urgently steps up and shows leadership to drive the stalled Gallows Corner works to completion. She criticised the lack of accountability and the absence of clear information for residents and businesses suffering the consequences of unacceptable delays.
The replacement flyover scheme, which has required the full closure of Gallows Corner roundabout, was originally due to finish within 12 weeks. Instead, the project has fallen badly behind schedule after Essex & Suffolk Water encountered unforeseen ground conditions during water main replacement works and TfL and their contractor failed to devise a Plan B ahead of time.
Julia said she has been inundated with complaints from residents whose daily journeys have become intolerable, and from traders on nearby estates warning that the disruption is pushing them towards financial collapse.
In her letter to the Mayor, Julia warned:
“Constituents are facing intolerable delays to their journeys, with many daily commutes now taking multiples of their usual time. The impact upon businesses has been equally disastrous. I have been contacted by several traders in the nearby trading estates warning that they are nearing insolvency owing to the difficulties both customers and suppliers face in reaching them.”
The MP said the Mayor must now grip the project, demanding that TfL and Essex & Suffolk Water provide clear updates, a revised programme of works, and daily oversight to get the scheme back on track.
Julia added that, in the absence of proper communication, speculation is spreading that the disruption could drag on for years — further undermining public confidence in the scheme. She pressed the Mayor to confirm what contingency planning has been undertaken and what immediate steps are being taken to prevent further delays.
Julia said:
“Residents and businesses have had enough. They deserve honesty, leadership and action — not silence and drift. The Mayor must take personal responsibility for this project and show he is prepared to step up to deal with the transport chaos over which he is has presided this month on our roads and tube network.”
