Residents, commuters and businesses in North Acton have told EALING.NEWS that weeks of utility works on Victoria Road have brought traffic chaos, dangerous driving and misery, with lengthy delays and bus stop closures disrupting daily life.
Local anger over the roadworks looks set to grow after UK Power Networks, one of two utility companies carrying out separate works in the area, confirmed its works are expected to continue until September but gave no specific completion date, leaving disruption set to continue throughout the summer.
According to roadworks permits, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ (SSEN) works are due to finish this month, while UK Power Networks’ permit runs until 25 September 2026, leaving residents facing disruption throughout the summer and into early autumn.
The UK Power Networks works between Victoria Road and Atlas Road, alongside separate Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) upgrades in the area, have caused severe congestion since the end of May.
Locals say journeys that once took only a few minutes can now take up to half an hour. Many have also questioned why days can pass without any visible work taking place, saying all they can see is the disruption to their daily lives rather than any obvious progress. Some have also raised concerns about motorists overtaking stationary traffic by driving on the wrong side of the road.
One resident told EALING.NEWS: “I’m now having to leave my house at least 20 to 25 minutes earlier than I used to just to make sure I can get through Victoria Road and then on to the A40.
“Coming back is just as frustrating. I can come off the A40 and be at the top of the road, but it can still take another 20 to 30 minutes just to get home.”
Another resident said bus stop closures were making everyday journeys more difficult.
They told EALING.NEWS: “There are so many bus stops out of action on Victoria Road. It’s so frustrating trying to use public transport with all these roadworks going on. It’s really making life difficult for everyone who is using buses to go about their day to day lives.”
As previously reported by EALING.NEWS, concerns have been raised about dangerous driving especially when drivers are near the railway bridge on Victoria Road.
One local said: “I’m fearful when I get close to the bridge on Victoria Road because drivers are erratically overtaking cars caught up in traffic and driving on the wrong side of the road to get ahead of them. It feels increasingly dangerous for pedestrians, and I worry that a vehicle could end up mounting the pavement if someone loses control.”
The disruption comes on top of years of HS2 construction work in the area. Although the current utility projects are separate, residents say they have added to the long-running disruption experienced by people living and working in North Acton.
Responding to these concerns, a UK Power Networks spokesperson said: “We understand the disruption caused by these works.
“Although activity is not always visible, engineers have continued to carry out work and underground testing between Victoria Road and Atlas Road.
“We have worked with our partners to synchronise traffic management and reduce disruption.
“The project is expected to continue until September, as per our permit with the local authority, and will return the road to normal as quickly as is safely possible.
“We thank residents for their patience.”
