High-cost roadworks

This post documents all the works that have been carried out in Queen’s Crescent since August 2024. It is a long post…£4m worth of work at the last count.

No consideration has been given to environmental damage, locally or globally. All the work shown is for the purpose of setting some decorative granite kerbs into the roadway and installing raised planters, and is completely unnecessary. It is a vanity project with no thought about how the market will be able to operate after the works are done.

Queen’s Crescent has been closed to traffic for a while, using temporary components which are now being thrown away. The current works at Queens Crescent should have been done in a similar minimal way, retaining the flexibility of future use. The amount of work is disproportionate, and will probably be undone in 20 years time. These works replace the refurbishment and alterations carried out in 2000-05- the concrete road bases that were formed at that time are no being smashed up.

Camden Council does not measure the carbon footprint of its highway alterations which are carried out continuously in the Borough, eg. putting in traffic islands and railings and taking them out again. Highway works have a large carbon footprint because of the amount of cement that its used (8% of global carbon dioxide emissions), the heavy machinery required and the manufacture and production of new components, often imported. Material use in Highway works should be minimised through careful design and existing components re-used.

17th August 2024: works begin moving the drains in order to narrow the roadway in front of the library:

25th August 2024: cutting up the road to put in new granite kerbs:

13th September 2024: bringing in new granite kerbs imported from Portugal:

Displacing local wildlife as reported in a letter to the Camden New Journal:

One of the heavy vehicles which has driven into Queens Crescent to remove waste materials:

A large amount of energy was used cutting through the concrete road base, resulting in carbon dioxide emissions from the machinery used (causing climate change) as well as dust and noise (harmful to local people).

Very little thought has been give to the businesses in Queens Crescent, many of which sell food.

16th September 2024: removal of the old granite kerbs which have been part of Queen Crescent for the past 100 years.

19th September 2024: more excavation preparing for ‘decorative granite kerbs’.

21st September 2024: more granite kerbs have arrived from Portugal, hewn from a hillside with damage to local wildlife. The importation of granite also causes carbon dioxide emissions due to the machinery used, and the transport by ship, train and heavy good lorry.

The waste of materials, carbon dioxide emissions and money, together with the disruption to local people and businesses who rely on the Crescent, is unacceptable. Did anyone within Camden Council attempt to quantify the impact on local people, global warming or biodiversity in Portugal, or to guide the design to be more environmentally responsible? Or did they just look at the pretty pictures when they reviewed the design?

No wonder the workmen look so glum at the prospect of having to spend so much time and effort on such a futile scheme- mindless squiggles in massive granite blocks.

151 Queens Crescent in 1955, with simple paving and original granite kerbs.

Queens Crescent 1968

The decorative granite kerbs are going to be a hindrance when utility companies need to lay new services, which happens regularly. Simplicity is best for future adaptability. This is a working street, not the plaything of Camden Council. As one trader remarked, the estimated one year construction period is ‘too much time’.

27th September 2024: excavation outside the entrance to the old people’s home above the library.

28th September 2024: now a big hole, maybe for an additional drain?

One of the many service ducts running from the road into the properties on Queen’s Crescent. These are are about to have massive granite blocks plonked on top of them. This is going to cause havoc. The ‘designer’ will probably have to change the granite squiggle in this location- the ducts look too high to accommodate them. Or relay the duct. What a daft idea!

9th October 2024: Lots of people and vehicles on site this morning to set out the granite kerbs. Let’s hope that the end result improves trade for the fishmonger.

4th November 2024: the works drag on, now over a month late.

We got fed up with these squiggles a long time. Now they have been set into the ground in massive granite blocks, like something from the West End.

12th November 2024: still at it

18th November 2024:

21st November 2024: Camden Council realise that they need to engage with shopkeepers who are suffering from reduced custom and are laying off staff.

28th November 2024: Despite the concern the work still drags on at a very slow rate. Today there are only two people on site.

4th December: waiting

6th December: arrival of the tarmac!

17th December: getting there

18th December: throwing away the old planters- what a waste!

10th January 2025: more original granite kerbs being removed from the street- what a shame:

13th January 2025: more granite kerbs arriving in Queens Crescent- a massive amount of stone:

15th January 2025: Starting the next section:

16th January 2025: Preparing to lay the stone:

19th January 2025: Laying the granite blocks in the ground:

30th January 2025: The works during market day:

30th January: The street works at night:

1st February: 1st phase of the works being used in its unfinished state. Waste collection is an issue, as is moving around the space; the planters create obstructions in the ‘pavement’ and the sloping granite edge between the road and pavement is unfortunately a trip hazard.

12th February 2025: more granite being buried out of sight. Future archaeologists may wonder what these lines might mean- maybe an obscure burial rite?

17th February 2025:

20th February 2025: breaking up the Gilden Crescent junction

22nd February 2025: the post-box is still standing

15th March 2025: yet more granite arrives to be buried in the roadway. The hoarding off of the pavement makes access very difficult

17th March 2025: more drilling out of concrete and discarding of the old granite kerbs

25th March 2025: continued disruption to the Crescent

8th April: changing the crossover at the top of Allcroft Road

9th April: Outside Rogues Quarter, bottom of the ramp to QCCA

Perfectly good crossover about to be dug up, top of Bassett Street:

15th April: another curvey line of granite going in

22nd April: more original granite kerbs dug up and discarded.

23rd April: more wasted carbon emissions.

26th April: another unnecessary hole messing up the roadway

1st May:

2nd May: concreting over the root cells- how will the roots get through to the soil underneath?

3rd May: putting the granite on top of the concrete

10th May: bird bath

10th May: dejected

Here we go again:

Finished planter on Weedington Road:

15th May: perfectly good granite setts being dug up and discarded for the latest fashion

21st May: tarmacing the roadway between Allcrioft Road and Bassett Street

24th May: more lines- does it make sense now?

2nd June: the planters provide a place to pile up rubbish

5th June: starting at the junction with Malden Road:

6th June: Another pit on Weedington Road

18th June: planters being built on Malden Road

23rd June: after the heatwave, water is still trapped in this tree pit

26th June: Queen’s Crescent at junction with Malden Road

The odd thing is that Camden Council already have planting beds that they don’t look after. What is the point in building 20 more? This bed does not have not bio-diverse planting- why not fix that first?