Forum Topic

Water pipe on A316 Bridge Crossing Railway Line…

…between Chiswick and Barnes Bridge Railway Stations. Does anyone know with certainty who is responsible for the water leak which is getting on for a year old?

James Petri ● 6d21 Comments

Thames Water I guess.

Brian Green ● 6d

Below is a copy of an email from Thames Water about this leak.29 September 2026Our Ref: 33579105Water Leak - A316 Great Chertsey Road Bridge W4Dear Mr SheaThank you for your email of 13 July 2026 regarding the leak on the A316 Great Chertsey Road Bridge you reported to us. I am sorry to hear the leak has been ongoing for some time and appreciate your concerns. As part of the CEO office Chris has asked I respond on his behalf.I’m sorry we didn’t respond to you within 10 working days. As a result of this, under our Customer Guarantee Scheme (CGS), you’re entitled to a payment for the delay. This payment will be processed automatically to your water services account. Please accept our apologies for not meeting our service standard on thisI have been in contact with our Field Operations Manager and can provide the following update.What happenedWe are aware of the leak and have attended the site on several occasions to investigate its source. Most recently, on 28 June 2026, our teams confirmed that the necessary trial holes had been completed. These investigations involve exposing our asset to accurately identify the source of the leak before repair works can safely begin.The repair is particularly challenging due to the location of the affected water main. It is situated on a heavily trafficked section of the A316 and in close proximity to other critical infrastructure. As a result, the repair requires extensive planning, additional engineering investigations and carefully coordinated safety arrangements before work can proceed.We fully understand the concerns raised about the length of time the leak has been present, including the potential impact on the bridge structure and the footpath beneath. In response, our Field Operations Manager has escalated the issue internally to help progress the required works as quickly as possible.While repairs in constrained locations such as this inevitably take longer than those in less complex environments, please be assured that we remain committed to completing the repair at the earliest opportunity once it is safe and practical to do so.Our PlansAt present, we are in discussions with Transport for London (TfL) to agree a safe and suitable plan for carrying out the repair. The leak is located on the railway bridge, which presents additional operational and safety considerations. As a result, the repair cannot proceed until the appropriate access arrangements and method of work have been agreed with TfL.We appreciate that the delay is frustrating and would like to reassure you that we remain committed to resolving the issue. Please be assured I will continue to monitor this and update as and when I receive these. This will be no later than 26 October 2026.Traffic managementWhenever we carry out planned or emergency works, our priority is to complete the repair safely while keeping disruption to local communities to a minimum. We recognise that access to a reliable water supply is an essential service and understand the inconvenience that roadworks can cause.For a repair of this nature, traffic management is unavoidable. Any lane closures or diversions are carefully planned in consultation with the local highway authority and Streetworks team to ensure the appropriate permissions are in place, and disruption is minimised wherever possible.Although we make every effort to reduce the impact on motorists, we recognise that delays can still occur. We would encourage all road users to follow the signed diversions and temporary traffic management arrangements to help maintain safety for both the public and our workforce.We are sorry you were unhappy with our digital service WhatsApp, when reporting the leak. Please be assured feedback has been given to help improve our service.Thank you for your patience while we work towards resolving this issue.Next stepsI hope the above information is of use to you. I will contact you again no later than 26 October 2026. If you do have any other questions or if there is anything else I can do to help in the meantime, please do give me a call on 0800 009 3932; lines are open 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.Priority Services Register (PSR)I wanted to highlight our Priority Services Register which is available to customers who may need a little extra support from us when facing temporary or longer-term challenges. More information can be found about this on our website here or you can call our Extra Care team on 0800 009 3652. Opening are 8am to 5pm.Water LevelsLow rainfall has significantly reduced our reservoirs, rivers, and groundwater. To protect the environment, we’re carefully managing supplies with a dedicated team monitoring levels around the clock. We’re asking customers to use water for essential purposes only drinking, cooking, and hygiene. Simple swaps can make a big difference in helping keep taps flowing for everyone and avoiding further measures,  Water saving Tips here. We continue to invest in our network, with leakage at its lowest level ever, building a resilient system to provide clean, reliable water for generations to come. Find out more: HereContacting us in futureYou can also:• Report some of the most common issues, such as blockages and leaks, on our website here.• Contact us on WhatsApp or via our Web Chat.• Call our Customer Contact Centre on 0800 316 9800. Lines are always open.• Find out more about our Priority Service Register here, if you or someone you know, needs extra support. You can call us on 0800 009 3652; 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.Yours sincerelyMichelle FloodSenior Complaints Manager

Christopher Shea ● 6d

Thanks so much Christopher. At least i can see this is on their radar...but very depressing that she, and presumably everyone else at Thames Water, were unaware of the already very long time this leak has gone on for until you alerted them in July. Also depressing is that this leak has been evident for 9-12 months...and that there were 8 months of extensive structural repairs to the bridge in 2023.

James Petri ● 5d

What an ironic surname she has, given the situation! With her title and working for Thames Water, I assume she busy 24/7....

Jim Brown ● 5d

Its more depressing than you think James.  Below is a copy of my July email.Dear Sir I write to complain about Thames Waters failure to fix a leak that has continued since January 2026. LocationAlexander Bridge A316 Great Chertsey Road W4 2SA. Grid reference TQ 20757 76865 This is a bridge over the railway between Barnes Bridge and Chiswick Station. The Rail Bridge reference is HOU7/9A. The leak is on the pavement on the side of the road heading to Richmond. I first noticed the leak in January.  When nothing was done to fix it, I went on fix my street to report it, but it already appeared to have been reported several times. When there continued to be no sign of repair, I rang  National Rail on 25 March 2026 as they had spent months in 2025 repairing the bridge and I assumed they would not wish the repairs undone by a water leak. They said they would look into it. In the continued absence of any action, I contacted Thames Water by WhatApp on 21 April 2026. I was told it had been allocated to another team, (goodness knows what that meant,) and they would need permission of local authority before doing anything.  In the absence of any action, I again contacted Thames Water by WhatsApp on 26 May 2026. I was told the case had been closed. I was told pictures were needed to progress the matter and so I went and took some and sent them the same day. I was told a team would be visiting soon and finishing the work shortly. I was further told my contact was registered for updates and a job raised for a technician to visit within 48 hours. I was given a reference of 1703141. I have heard nothing since. The water is still leaking. Could you get someone to fix it please? I have copied in my local MP, Councillor and BBC London. Yours faithfully Chris Shea

Christopher Shea ● 5d

Brian suggested it was Thames Water to deal with so yesterday i advised them. I received "we're coming to take a look, case no. 01956641" and today had phone call which i thought was just to update me. A few minutes later i got an email saying case closed. Fair enough but only if your case is still open, Chris. I suppose the size of the leak is too small to be of much concern but Winter frost could add to existing bridge damage if not repaired soon. Why not repair it now before that happens?

James Petri ● 5d

Why didn't they repair it in August when the traffic was lighter and the disruption would have been less?

Christopher Shea ● 5d

Chris, your email of July correctly mentions the leak on the top surface of the bridge but have you viewed it from underneath? It is cascading down! It is difficult for me to estimate the loss but even if several million litres/year it's small beer against Thames Waters annual loss of 208 billion litres/year of treated water (AI). I am more concerned about the possible structural damage to the bridge. I imagine it is the original bridge built probably 1930-1933 so is in the ageing category and more susceptible to damage. Surely repairing now is cheaper than replacing later?

James Petri ● 2d

Is the leak is NOT fixed, with Hammersmith Bridge closed if Chiswick Bridge had to close there would be utter chaos in West London. So fix the leak is an urgent matter surely?

Jayne Thorburn ● 2d

Jayne, Just to clarify, the leak is not on Chiswick Bridge that crosses the river but on the railway bridge about 700 yards north-east of there.

James Petri ● 1d

Thank you James

Jayne Thorburn ● 1d

I do hope, like myself, seeing so many heavier and heavier cars being inched across this bridge every day, you're also worried about the effects of that on the structure...

Paul James ● 1d

Try and pay attention, PaulIt's a rail bridge.Or do you propose we ditch this as well and simply just shut down London?

David Lesniak ● 1d

Rail bridges,  absolutly not,  they carry more people than road bridges despite being empty most of the time.I saw Chiswick bridge mentioned and responded to that.

Paul James ● 1d

Er sorry to burst your balloon David, but from James' description the bridge in question is the roadbridge that carries the A316 over the railway line that goes between Chiswick and Barnes stations. James did refer to it as a rail bridge when he clarified the location.If I've got that correct then Paul's comment was entirely relevant, and it's you that needs to pay a bit more attention rather than having a knee-jerk pop at Paul.Unless I haven't been keeping up of course.

Andrew Jones ● 1d

For the people who do not know Alexander bridge this used to have 4 lanes of traffic using it. Many years ago this was reduced to one lane going west and the two lanes going east remained. So less traffic can be on it at any one time.One day I will be able to cycle over it and stay dry.

Paul Jennings ● 22h

Per what James posted:Jayne, Just to clarify, the leak is not on Chiswick Bridge that crosses the river but on the railway bridge about 700 yards north-east of there.Not sure how else to interpret "but on the railway bridge" other than it being on said railway bridge. What was that you were saying about knee-jerk pops, Andrew?

David Lesniak ● 6h

Let me remind you what Paul wrote: "... seeing so many heavier and heavier cars being inched across this bridge every day ..."And how did you respond to that David?"Try and pay attention, PaulIt's a rail bridge."This particular "railway bridge" also happens to be a road bridge i.e. an engineered structure built to carry vehicular traffic—and often pedestrians or cyclists—over an obstacle such as a river, valley, railway, or another roadway.Regardless of whether the bridge is going over another road, railway, river or something else, Paul's comment about the heavier vehicles using the bridge are worthy of a bit more of a considered response than "Try and keep up etc." What exactly was Paul not keeping up with?Leaking water can cause damage to the structure, and, surprise surprise, so can increased vehicle weights crossing the railway bridge on the road it carries.

Andrew Jones ● 6h

Oh and in the UK, a rail or railway bridge is a structure that carries rail traffic over an obstacle, so James isn't correct in describing the Alexandra bridge as a rail bridge, as it's in fact a road bridge.

Andrew Jones ● 5h

Who doesn't love pedantics, Andrew?It was my sense Paul was responding to what James wrote. Seemed a logical conclusion especially given Paul's myopic rhetoric.

David Lesniak ● 5h

James (Petri) clarified (to Jayne) that it wasn’t Chiswick Bridge that was being talked about.Unfortunately he muddied the waters at that point by referring to the bridge as a railway bridge, even though it was evident from the title of his initial post that we were talking about a road bridge on the A316.When I read James’ post ‘clarifying’ which bridge was initially being talked about, I initially thought he was now talking about a rail bridge, so I re-read the whole thread and also looked at a map to see exactly which bridge was being talked about and realised that it was a road bridge.Paul commented about the damage that vehicles cause to a road bridge. I suspect he might have been thinking that it was Chiswick Bridge that was being referred to, but his point is valid for either Chiswick or Alexandra Bridge. Yes, he focuses on the negative aspects of use of vehicles ( as well as on other things), but while that makes him myopic in your view, his myopia doesn’t automatically invalidate any points he makes.You repeated what James had written about it being a rail bridge. As I hope you accept, it’s a road bridge not a rail bridge. Your statement "It's a rail bridge" was incorrect. Yes I am pedantic, but pointing out that there is a difference between a road bridge and a rail bridge isn't exceptionally pedantic.I wouldn’t have bothered pointing out anyone’s error, except for the reason that you aggressively wrote “Try and pay attention Paul.”If you’d been correct, I still wouldn’t have written anything.But telling someone to pay attention when you haven’t paid attention yourself is a tad hypocritical in my book.

Andrew Jones ● 4h