Local MP Mike Penning convened an urgent on-site meeting to discuss proposals for dealing with the sinkhole in High Street Green.

Herts County Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Thames Water, local councillor William Wyatt-Lowe and a number of residents attended the meeting.

There have been two detailed surveys of the sinkhole, which, although small on the surface, in fact extends the full width of the road and is 8m deep.

The current situation is that the County Council are now awaiting a long-reach excavator to open up the hole before calling a meeting with all utilities who have services through the area to plan details of the reinstatement.

Mike Penning said:
“This really is very frustrating. It is now nearly four months since this sinkhole first opened up on 12th May. Whilst I understand that the surveys take time and that it is important that public and workers’ safety is taken into consideration, I do think things could have been moving faster on this.

“The County Council are waiting for a contractor to find a suitable long-reach excavator. I cannot believe it takes this long to find one. I made it quite clear that this road closure causing a lot of inconvenience.

“High Street Green is a main thoroughfare and bus route and all the traffic is using neighbouring roads which is causing a lot of disruption.

“The County Council has been promising completion dates which are now either passed, or unrealistic. They really need to get on top of this and make it a priority.

“I do thank the representatives for turning up and I believe we now, at least, understand what the current situation is.”