Work to repair subsidence at a key junction following a water main leak has now moved into its third month.

The junction of Forest Hill with Postley Road in Tovil remains closed this week, despite earlier hopes that the repair work would be finished last Friday.

In fact, the area of work has been extended and is now affecting the top of Forest Hill, above Newchurch Road, and has extended along Postley Road towards the roundabout at Armstrong Road.

Postley Road resident Chris Evans is the man who first reported the problem back on February 16.

He said: “I noticed the road surface had dropped by about six inches and there was a water leak and I immediately reported it to South East Water.

“The lady on the other end of the phone took some convincing that there really was a problem, but they did come out that day.”

The junction has been closed ever since, initially because South East Water and KCC could not decide who was responsible for the repair, but eventually, on April 7, KCC said it would do the work.

It is understood that all the water leaks have now been fixed with a new main laid, that the road has been backfilled, and all that remains now is for a new surface to be put down.

Mr Evans said: “One of the workmen has told me it should be done by this Friday.”

However, KCC’s roadworks map is still suggesting the closure will be in place for another two weeks.

In the meantime, motorists wanting to enter Forest Hill have been diverted down Quarry Road and Coombe Road, through the Coombe Farm estate.

Drivers seeking to access the Gleneagles Drive estate or the Hayle Park estate have to divert along Armstrong Road, Enterprise Road, Lacock Gardens, Watersmeet Close and Tattershall Road, and vice versa.

Mr Evans said: “To be honest, we are enjoying not having so much traffic going past. My neighbour even said he’s been able to sleep at night with his windows open, because there is less noise.

“But there are still a lot of drivers who ignore the signage and drive right up to the barriers before they have to turn around.

“And I feel sorry for the residents on the Tattershall Road estate who are now getting all the traffic for Gleneagles Drive and the Hayle Place estate diverted through their narrow roads.”

A KCC spokesman said: “We are currently working towards Friday, May 30, as the opening date for Postley Road, subject to weather conditions.

‘Usually, work of this nature would require several weeks of planning and coordination.

“However, this site has presented a number of unforeseen challenges, requiring us to respond dynamically to emerging issues without the benefit of a fully developed plan. As a result, we’ve needed to arrange, manage, and wait for resources as the situation evolves.

“Extensive technical and complex work has been carried out on site, including investigations into additional voids, ground surveys and soil strength testing to inform design.

“We have rebuilt the road to ensure it is structurally sound and continuous. In collaboration with South East Water, we have renewed the water main in the affected area.

‘While we understand the public’s frustration with the disruption, we appreciate their patience.

“Our priority remains delivering a long-term, sustainable solution rather than a temporary fix.”