Electricity transmission company National Grid is advising motorists, businesses and residents that an abnormal load is due to be moved this week.
An electricity transformer will be travelling to National Grid’s Willesden electricity substation from Tilbury Docks on Monday and Tuesday nights (23 and 24 March) and is due to arrive at the substation between 3am and 4am on Wednesday (25 March). The transformer, which weighs 229 tonnes, will be carried on a 75 metre-long vehicle travelling at speeds of 5 – 6 mph under police escort.
The transformer is due to leave Tilbury Docks late Monday evening. It will travel along the A1089, A13, A282, before joining the M25 and heading south (clockwise) towards junction 10. It will turn off at junction 10 in the early hours of Tuesday morning to park up for the day.
The transformer will head off for the second leg of its journey into Willesden at 10pm on Tuesday night, travelling along the M25 to junction 15 and then onto the M4 before turning off for the A312. It will take the following route into Willesden: A312 The Parkway, A312 Church Road, Western Avenue, A40, B4492, Coronation Road, Coronation Villas, Coronation Road, Acton Lane, and Waxlow Road.
The exact times of the journey will be decided by the Police and will depend on traffic conditions.
Owing to the size of the load it will be necessary to keep the following local roads free from traffic during the move and National Grid would be grateful if businesses and residents in Coronation Road, Coronation Villas, Acton Lane and Waxlow Road could please ensure that vehicles are not parked in these roads overnight on Tuesday. Parking restrictions will be in force from 10pm on Tuesday until 6am Wednesday morning, when the transformer has arrived at its destination.
Project manager Paul Balcon said: “The transformer is being moved at short notice and we would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.
“This is a huge piece of equipment to move and the route has needed very careful planning. We have tried to avoid causing disruption wherever possible, which is why we are moving the vehicle in several stages. Abnormal Load Engineering Limited (ALE), who are moving the transformer on our behalf, have worked closely with the Highways Agency, police and local councils to co-ordinate the route’.
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For further media information contact Carol Lloyd, National Grid Communications on 01926 655372, or Sara Wilcox on 01926 655271.