Between October 2019 and June 2022, 42 miles of pavement will be repaired as part of a £20m programme of improvements.
These major repairs will be spread across the borough, giving footways a new lease of life and making it easier for everybody to get around.
The dates in this schedule of works are approximate and external factors may affect these timings.
We understand that with more people at home that there is an increased pressure on parking spaces, however we will need to temporarily suspend parking in areas around the works. We do hope residents can work with us in order for us to complete the works as swiftly as possible. We will do everything we can to minimise disruption. Information letters will be delivered to all affected residents/businesses two weeks in advance of works commencing on site.
Our contractors will be following the Government’s guidelines in order to do these works. Close working will be kept to an absolute minimum and all staff have strict procedures to follow if this is deemed necessary. Please respect the safety of our staff whilst they are working and remember to maintain the 2 metre social distancing rule.
As part of the improvements, the existing surface will be replaced with a mixture of asphalt and concrete blocks for vehicle crossings and at junctions. Asphalt is 100% recyclable, as well as being more durable and more flexible than the existing slabs. This is especially important in today’s environment where vehicles often overrun the pavement. It is less likely to crack and create trip hazards, meaning your pavement will stay safe and tidy-looking for longer.
Wherever possible, we will be reusing granite kerbs. Where this is not feasible, we will lay a replacement kerb.
Tree pits (the area around the base of a tree) will be resurfaced with a recycled material. This is designed to look smart and let water through to the tree.
In 2016 the council’s policy was changed following the Cabinet’s decision to use asphalt as the default material for footways. The council is now replacing the existing surface with a mixture of asphalt and concrete blocks for vehicle crossings and at junctions. Asphalt is 100% recyclable, as well as being tougher and more flexible than the existing slabs. This is especially important in today’s environment where vehicles often overrun the pavement. It is less likely to crack and create trip hazards, meaning your pavement will stay safe and tidy-looking for longer.
The use of material is a policy decision and asphalt was agreed as the default material by the Council’s Cabinet in May 2016. When considering what materials are appropriate, as only buildings and gardens are restricted by conservation conditions, it was confirmed the use of asphalt on pavements is permissible. Asphalt is a recognised material for use on pavements and has been used over many years on other pavements in conservation areas in Brent and throughout London.
Unlike scheme work, which involves engagement with the community to develop and refine proposals, annual maintenance programmes are prepared and delivered to meet the Council’s obligation to maintain roads and pavements and does not include community consultation to determine priorities and materials.
Priorities are determined through a range of factors, including independently carried out annual condition surveys, usage, level of risk and cost benefit. In the development of the current pavement reconstruction programme, Councillors were consulted and provided valuable input in identifying the priorities for their wards for the budget available.
Condition surveys are undertaken every year by independent consultants, which help the Council produce a list of roads where pavements are most in need of reconstruction. Along with the rest of the road network, your road is surveyed and reassessed for consideration in future pavement reconstruction programmes. We also consider nominations from Councillors. In the development of the current pavement reconstruction programme, Councillors were consulted and provided valuable input in identifying the priorities for their wards for the budget available.
If there are any urgent defects that you would like us to consider for repair, please email us with the specific locations and a description (e.g. “pothole outside number 4 Waltham Avenue”)
If you wish to make a compensation claim against the council, view the guidance notes and claims form.
As part of the Council’s design approach, any vehicle crossing which previously had a straight drop/bullnose kerb will now benefit from the introduction of 50cm long transition kerbs. These transition kerbs create a gentle merging of levels between dropped and raised kerbs, as well as providing additional reinforced manoeuvring space.
Please note that before works start, a photographic record has been taken and markings placed on the road surface to ensure dropped kerb widths are maintained. If you believe your dropped kerb has been reduced in size, please contact us with your address, the name of the scheme these changes were made within and any evidence to support your claim.
It is the Council's policy to recycle and reuse materials wherever possible. For our footway reconstruction’s, we are reusing granite kerbs, as they are considered a valued commodity. This environment friendly policy also makes a significant cost saving and by reusing granite kerbs, we are able to make our limited resources stretch further, meaning more pavements can be reconstructed.
We will ensure that only suitable kerbs are selected for reuse and that they are re-laid uniformly and in sections. We do not reuse kerbs made from concrete or other similar materials, as they tend to damage and spoil when they are disturbed.
Applicants who have applied for a vehicle crossing prior to the maintenance works starting on site will be eligible to a reduced rate for a period of 12 months after the date which the application was confirmed as being received by the Council. The applicant must have submitted a completed application form along with the administration fee.
View information and application on dropped kerbs
Crossings will be constructed as part of the works only if, by the time work starts, the application has got to the stage where it has been approved by the Council and the crossing paid for. However, as above, applicants who have applied for a vehicle crossing prior to the maintenance works starting on site will be eligible to a reduced rate for a period of 12 months after the date which the application was confirmed as being received by the Council.
During the reconstruction of your vehicle crossing, our contractor can provide you with parking dispensation letters, allowing a suitable period of time to park in nearby parking bays.
Inspectors give Brent’s trees regular check-ups to make sure they are healthy and thriving. They try to catch any problems, like decay or a list, early on and take action to keep them in good condition.
Trees scheduled for removal have been inspected by the Council’s Tree officer. Removing a tree is always a last resort if there are strong arboricultural, environmental or risk related reasons to do so. As part of this programme, if we do need to remove a tree, we will replace each tree with a new one, in the same spot or nearby.
In an effort to retain more mature trees, where possible, we will surface over tree roots that are disrupting the pavement. This may mean that further pavement maintenance is needed if further root growth disturbs the new pavement. This is the balance we are striking between saving trees and future maintenance needs.
Inspectors give Brent’s trees regular check-ups to make sure they are healthy and thriving. They try to catch any problems, like decay or a list, early on and take action to keep them in good condition.
As part of this £20m programme, we will be reviewing trees on the streets scheduled for improvements and carrying out maintenance where necessary.
Removing a tree is always a last resort if there are strong arboricultural, environmental or risk-related reasons to do so. As part of this programme, if we do need to remove a tree, we will replace each tree with a new one, in the same spot or nearby.
In an effort to retain more mature trees, where possible, we will surface over tree roots that are disrupting the pavement. This may mean that further pavement maintenance is needed if further root growth disturbs the new pavement. This is the balance we are striking between saving trees and future maintenance needs.