Romford drivers and bus passengers have been forced to wait two months for width restrictions leading to a bridge to be removed.

As reported in the Recorder in January, the Victoria Road bollards were due to be removed after Network Rail finished its investigation into how much weight the bridge could take.

Pensioner Michael Arnold, of Academy Fields Road, said: “When a few bricks fell off, they put barriers up and closed the bus route within a few weeks. But when it’s deemed safe, it takes a long time to reverse the process.

“I’m just looking forward to getting the buses back down here. When I go to visit my daughter, I have to walk down Heath Park Road all the way to Brentwood Road to get a bus. It’s a lot of hassle when buses used to go down Victoria Road.”

Campaign

Jacqui Hilsdon, 51, of Kings Road, campaigned for the restrictions to be removed and obtained more than 600 signatures from residents.

She will resume her campaign if there is no sign of progress in the next two weeks.

But a Network Rail spokesman said there was no fixed date for the bollards’ removal.

Havering’s environment boss Cllr Barry Tebbutt said: “We are working with Network Rail to bring the bridge back into normal use as quickly as possible.

“This includes installing a new steel barrier to prevent traffic from running onto the pavement. Once this is in place, the width restrictions will be removed.”