FRUSTRATED motorists have another four months to wait before the crater in Blackheath Hill is filled and the main road is reopened.

The time-frame for reopening the road was announced by Transport for London's chief engineer, Trevor Williams, at the fourth packed public meeting since the hole appeared on April 7.

Hopes for a quick recovery to the driving nightmare, which has seen 35,000 vehicles diverted through Greenwich and Lewisham every day, were dashed even though work on the hole has started.

Although TfL has started grout repairs, it will be another week before it discovers whether the ground is firm enough to hold injections of cement to eventually fill the hole.

Bore holes will be dug every 2.5m along a 200m stretch of carriageway and injected with cement, which it is hoped will firm up the sandy and chalk soil beneath.

The estimated total cost, including repairs, to TfL will be between £2m and £2.5m but the overall cost to road users, businesses and homeowners is more likely to be in the region of £100m.

Mr Williams told the meeting at Borough Hall, in Royal Hill, Greenwich: "The time it takes before the road reopens depends on how the concrete takes but if we don't hit any hidden obstacles we hope for it to be open by November."

Residents at the meeting were angry at the length of time it was taking to reopen the road and the pollution problems caused by the closure.

John Martin, of Blackheath Hill, was met by rapturous applause when he said: "The environmental impact of lorries waiting on the hill has caused massive pollution problems. We will have the same problem getting worse when the road reopens."

Mr Williams replied: "We are looking into the possibility of a cut-and-cover scheme and making things better for pedestrians and traffic flow but our first goal is to get the road reopened."

More than 100 people were evacuated from surrounding buildings in the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham after fears their homes would subside. Three months on they still do not know what the future holds for them.

Greenwich Council is proposing an exhibition from July 16 to 20 at Jubilee Hall, Blissett Street. Details are due to be announced.

July 16, 2002 17:30