Havering Council has welcomed confirmation of a completion date of end of April 2026 for the long-running Gallows Corner flyover works,
TfL has now confirmed that the entire Gallows Corner junction, including the flyover and roundabout, is planned to reopen to general traffic by the end of April 2026, with all diversions and temporary traffic management removed.
It follows months of persistent and relentless pressure on Transport for London (TfL) and Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) to provide clarity and be held to account.
They have also laid out a timeline of key milestones leading up to final completion date.
- Over the coming weeks TfL will apply waterproofing and tarmac to the new flyover and complete the remaining works on the roundabout and surrounding roads, including lighting columns, street signs and pedestrian crossings.
- ESW will complete two “under-pressure” connections to the existing main, while water continues to flow through it, with these scheduled to be completed by late February. Following this, large, reinforced anchor blocks will be constructed to protect the main during its operation. These will be completed by mid-March.
- Prior to connecting the new pipe to the existing main, the full route will be pressure tested by the end of March to prove there are no leaks.
- Finally, the new pipe will be disinfected and sampled to ensure the pipe meets the required high standards to carry drinking water. If the samples do not meet the required standard at that point, it will be cleaned again and retested until it does.
The latest completion date was formally shared at a meeting last week (11 February 2026) between the Council and senior TfL and ESW project executives, held on site at Gallows Corner.
The meeting included a site visit by Council Leader, Cllr Ray Morgon and Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Barry Mugglestone, giving them the opportunity to see progress first-hand and to challenge TfL and ESW directly on delivery, final works and remaining risks.
As part of the visit, the Leader and Cabinet Member walked across the almost completed flyover, viewing the newly installed sections and discussing the remaining programme of works, milestones and dependencies ahead of reopening.
The Council has repeatedly raised residents’ concerns with both TfL and ESW, pressing for transparency, a firm completion date and stronger accountability as disruption has continued far longer than originally expected.
This confirmation follows sustained engagement by the Council, including regular correspondence, meetings with senior officers and executives, and ongoing escalation on behalf of residents, businesses and road users affected by the closure.
The renewal of the Gallows Corner flyover is essential to securing the long-term safety and reliability of a critical junction for Havering and east London.
The works will allow the flyover to safely carry heavier vehicles again and help protect the resilience of the wider road network for years to come.
However, the Council recognises that this news will be met with mixed feelings by local people who continue to experience daily disruption, congestion, longer journeys and impacts on businesses, schools and services.
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said:
“This confirmation of an end date is welcome and is the direct result of the Council’s unrelenting pressure on TfL and Essex and Suffolk Water to finally provide clarity and be held to account.
“Seeing the works first-hand, including walking across the nearly completed flyover, underlines the progress that has been made but it also reinforces how long residents and businesses have already had to put up with disruption.
“We recognise the long-term benefits the flyover project will bring for our road network, but we will not forget the real frustration and impact people have faced every day because of these delays. We continue to explore compensation for the community for this prolonged disruption.
“We also understand the importance of the work taking place by ESW to replace the ageing water mains pipe with new piping.
"This is critical to future proof Havering’s water supply and to prevent potentially hundreds of thousands of households’ supply being disrupted or cut off.
“We will continue to keep TfL and ESW under close scrutiny, maintain pressure on them to deliver, and challenge any slippage.
"This revised date must be honoured and we will be watching every step of the way.”
Havering Council will continue to maintain pressure on TfL and ESW to honour this revised completion date and deliver the remaining works at pace.
The Council will be closely monitoring progress against the updated timeline and key milestones, and will not hesitate to challenge any slippage, emerging risks or further disruption.
TfL and ESW have been made clear that the Council expects regular, transparent updates as the project moves through its final stages.