Woolhampton residents face ongoing disruption from Thames Water tankers, causing road damage and noise.
A meeting happened on Wednesday, February 12. Thames Water said issues would end soon, estimating about five weeks.
Tankers should drive 10 mph on Station Road, but residents say they don’t and are unhappy.
One resident, Jenny Campbell, called it a “nightmare” and said the road is getting worse now. She worries about the tankers hitting walls and that noisy tankers queue on Station Road.
Terry and Cathy Vallis said tankers destroyed the road. They won’t use it until it gets fixed, noting the tankers are a constant nuisance. Some rattle at night, disturbing sleep.
Sarah Thomas said school runs got harder and tankers block her driveway often. Engines run, so they breathe in fumes and her sons hear them a lot; it feels endless.
New potholes formed on Station Road because of tanker traffic. The Rowbarge pub has cracks as expected, and staff say new cracks appeared lately. They worry how this will affect business.
Landlord Owen Parker-Brunt spoke about the tankers, saying it’s not nice during meals. Sewage tankers pass every twenty minutes, a far cry from the expectation when the almost-200-year-old pub was built.
A tanker allegedly crashed into Midgham Level Crossing and kept driving afterward. Vibrations caused damage there, and engineers will inspect the damage. Insurance might handle it, but premiums could rise.
Fresh cracks formed above the Rowbarge’s window. Sean Garden lives on Station Road and chairs the Woolhampton Parish Council. He called the situation “horrendous.”
The road is splitting and cracking, and parts of the road have sunk down. When vehicles reach 30 mph, the house shakes; fixing the road will cost the council a lot. He thinks Thames Water should pay for it.
Garden said walls shook at his Thames Water meeting because he lives in Station Road. It’s a small community that suffers; if the swing bridge needs repair, it could close, similar to Aldermaston’s three-month closure.
Garden said police were contacted because a tanker drove through the level crossing. He said this could have been much worse because a train could have been hit, like the Ufton Nervet crash.
Thames Water sent a letter to residents, stating a treatment tank failed at the sewage works. They set up a temporary plant instead, needing to ensure the wastewater was transported to Newbury. The village route was most useful.
The disruption started in August, then had a pause, and continued in September. New letters said part of the new plant was ready, with the second part due in January.
Tankers moved to Woolhampton and Brimpton stations. The road closed outside the plant, and tanker operations will stop when the works finish. Thames Water has been contacted for more comments.