We have heard from the Senior Engineer for Capital Projects of the London Borough of Hounslow that, from Monday 19 February, construction work will start on the footpath improvements north of Hounslow Road in Hanworth, linking Pevensey Road Nature Reserve with the Cavalry Tunnel under the rail line adjacent to the River Crane. This is good news for walkers who opt for the alternative route along the river described on page 11 of our walk guidance for section 9.
The plan is to create a 2 metre wide Breedon gravel path to match the existing paths in the area. The works south of the rail line are expected to take approximately 9 weeks. The contractor has a great deal of experience in this type of project, and will keep safe access open along the path at all times during construction
The Borough team also plans to extend the path improvement northwards to the river access point at Cygnet Avenue. Team members are finalising the budget for this and expect to have this resolved in time for the contractor to be able to construct this section immediately after the southern side is complete.
Unfortunately at this stage there is still no funding for lighting or CCTV inside the tunnel itself, however the team is looking at potential funding streams for the future.
As part of the footpath improvement works the contractor will remove the steel fence and gate on the north side of the tunnel, this will go some way to improving the perceived safety of the tunnel by removing what can be a daunting barrier. The contractor will also remove the stubs of some steel posts that remain in the centre of the tunnel walkway which are currently a trip hazard.