Year-long waterworks road closure angers residents

A year-long road closure caused by waterworks in a residential area has dragged residents through a "host of emotions", their councillor has said.

A water pipe burst and part of Kidmore Road in Caversham Heights, Berkshire, collapsed in January 2025 but residents said that problems were first reported in 2024.

Councillor Isobel Ballsdon, who represents the area on Reading Borough Council said it remains unclear when work to repair the road will be completed.

Thames Water said work to ensure the area is safe has taken longer than initially expected and that it could be finished in February.

Disruption has included residents being unable to park in their own spaces and bus stops being removed and placed some distance away.

Ballsdon said that she arranged meetings with contractors and Thames Water in the summer and that it had been hoped some works would have been done last autumn.

"But here we are today and the works are ongoing and we still don't have a definite end date so understandably residents are very frustrated," she said.

"I have spoken to many of the residents on several occasions over the months.

"I have been keeping up very close contact with them. Residents have been going through a host of emotions: worry, anger, frustration, massive upset."

She added: "When you cannot go about your daily business as normal... some naturally have got a shorter fuse. People have not been in a happy place at all."

A Thames Water spokesperson said: "To ensure the ground is fully stabilised and the road remains safe for the long term, additional work on Kidmore Road is required beyond the original schedule. This approach, agreed with Reading Borough Council, is the best way to prevent future issues.

"The programme has been extended with work continuing into February 2026."