Five Year Street Improvements Plan Announced

Hounslow Highways multi-million investment will start in January

Hounslow Council has announced the largest contract in its history, a street improvements project with investment of £800m over 25 years. The project is one of only three of its kind in the country.

The first streets to benefit from the most comprehensive programme of street improvements in the borough’s history from January 2013, have now been revealed by the Council.

Hounslow Highways, a partnership between the council and Vinci-Ringway, will begin work on the five-year programme in January.

Next week, the council’s Cabinet will grant approval to the plan, which will first tackle the streets in the worst condition in the borough, as well as looking at improvements to help keep the streets clean.

Cllr Colin Ellar, Hounslow’s cabinet member for environment, said:

“Improving the state of our streets has always been a priority, and Hounslow Highways gives us the opportunity to do exactly that. 

“We’re now at a very exciting stage in the project and have been working closely with Vinci-Ringway to develop and refine their works programme so that improvements will be seen across the borough from the word ‘go’.”

The works will typically include the resurfacing of streets and pavements, replacing and improving street lighting and upgrading existing street furniture.  They also include improvements for cyclists and pedestrians and improved access to public transport.

Cllr Ellar continued:

“With any large scale project like this, it’s inevitable that there will be disruption – especially with other initiatives such as the regeneration of Hounslow and Brentford town centres and the development of the Cycle Superhighway taking place around the same time.  However, we will listen to residents’ concerns and act to lessen it where we can.

“One of the big priorities for Hounslow Highways will be tackling litter and keeping our streets clean so we can all feel proud of them. We are already making improvements within our current street cleansing service but hope to introduce further improvements before the end of the year because we know it matters so much to residents.”

• Hounslow Highways will take on all the streetscene works for the borough over the next 25 years.

• Hounslow Highways will take a ‘fence-to-fence’ approach covering the entire street environment, not just the roads and pavements.

July 27, 2012