A growing sinkhole in Dollis Hill is causing chaos for drivers and residents.
The hole covers most of a three-way junction in Pinemartin Close, forcing cars from all sides to swerve around.
According to residents, the problem has been ongoing for “around three years” and continues to be neglected despite numerous reports to Brent Council.
They claim it is a potential health and safety issue as fire engines and ambulances could struggle to get past the barriers protecting the hole.
The council says it believes the underlying issue is a Thames Water leak, something the company says it is investigating.
Former local Liberal Democrat councillor Alison Hopkins said: “It’s absolutely ludicrous – we’ve all been onto the council like mad about it, but nothing has been done.
“They say they’ve repaired it several times, but they’ve just been throwing a bit of Tarmac in.
“This then breaks and the problem gets worse – they need to sit down with whoever is responsible and get it sorted properly.”
She said several people have complained to the council about the problem, as they see it as both unsightly and dangerous.
“The council say it’s a water issue but they’ve clearly not exactly been putting pressure on whoever’s responsible," she said.
“And the thing is, they’ve probably spent more on these repeated patch-ups than if they’d dealt with it properly in the first place.”
The sinkhole has become a target for people throwing in litter and road traffic cones, while one of the barriers meant to protect it has been tipped over.
A spokesperson for Brent Council said: “We believe there is an underlying issue with a Thames Water asset and leaking water is eroding the base courses (layers under the surface) of the pavement which has caused the sinkhole.
“We have carried out repairs in the past, but they have deteriorated relatively quickly because of the underlying issue.
“We have expressed our dissatisfaction with Thames Water about their slow response times and the leader of the council, Cllr Muhammed Butt, has requested a meeting with them to discuss their poor service and the impact this has had on our residents and businesses.”
Thames Water said it is aware of the hole and is waiting to confirm if it is linked to a leaking wastewater pipe.
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