Bexley Council announces road closures for utility works

The London Borough of Bexley has issued public notices detailing upcoming road closures and restrictions across several areas of the borough. These measures are being implemented to facilitate essential water and gas main replacement schemes undertaken by Thames Water and Southern Gas Networks.

Sidcup road restrictions

In Sidcup, Willersley Avenue will experience a prohibition of traffic from the junction with Halfway Street to the junction with Wellington Avenue. Waiting and loading restrictions will also be in place along the entire road. These restrictions are scheduled to commence on 20 April 2026 and are expected to be in effect for up to 18 months, with works anticipated to conclude within 261 days. Alternative routes will be signposted, including diversions via Halfway Street, Days Lane, Blackfen Road, and Wellington Avenue.

Additionally, various roads adjoining Willersley Avenue, including Marlborough Park Avenue, Haddon Grove, Oaklands Avenue, White Oak Gardens, Annandale Road, and Maple Leaf Drive, will see temporary traffic prohibitions and waiting/loading restrictions for 50 metres into and including junctions with Willersley Avenue.

Welling diversions

Westwood Lane in Welling will be subject to a road closure from the roundabout at the junction with Wendover Way/Ingleton Avenue to the junction with Bellegrove Road. Parking restrictions will apply along the entire length of Westwood Lane. The order for these works, also for water main replacement, comes into effect on 9 April 2026 and is valid for 18 months, with works expected to be completed within this timeframe. Diversions will be in place via Bellegrove Road, Welling Way, Rochester Way, and other local routes.

Furthermore, roads adjoining Westwood Lane, such as Northumberland Avenue, Wendover Way, Darwin Road, Ingleton Avenue, Cambridge Avenue, Sutherland Avenue, Hook Lane, Groombridge Close, Clinton Avenue, Lyndon Avenue, and Bradenham Avenue, will experience similar temporary traffic prohibitions and parking restrictions for 50 metres into and including junctions with Westwood Lane.

Bexleyheath gas main works

In Bexleyheath, Barnehurst Avenue will be closed at the junction with Colyers Lane to allow for gas main replacement by JDT Utilities on behalf of Southern Gas Networks. Parking restrictions will be in place on both sides of Barnehurst Avenue from the junction with Colyers Lane to the junction with Northumberland Avenue. These works are scheduled to commence on 9 April 2026 and are expected to take approximately three weeks to complete, with the order valid for 18 months. Alternative routes will be signposted via Erith Road, Brook Street, Bexley Road, and Colyers Lane.

Tender opportunity

Bexley Council is also inviting tenders for the replacement of bearings and an expansion joint on the Harrow Manorway Flyover/Felixstowe Road in Abbey Wood. Expressions of interest must be submitted by 17 April 2026.

These local infrastructure projects align with broader trends in utility maintenance across the UK. According to Ofgem, the energy regulator, significant investment is required to upgrade the UK's gas and electricity networks to meet future energy demands and environmental targets. Similarly, water companies are under pressure to improve infrastructure and reduce leakage, with the UK's water sector facing an estimated £10 billion funding gap for essential upgrades over the next decade, as highlighted by the National Audit Office. Such works, while causing temporary disruption, are part of a national effort to maintain and modernise essential services.