'It's getting bigger': Busy road in Wolverhampton closes after gaping sinkhole appears - here's what we know so far
A busy road in Wolverhampton has been closed to all traffic after a hole appeared.
Lower Street in Tettenhall, close to its junction with The Rock, closed to traffic after a hole began to open up in the carriageway at about 10.30 yesterday (Tuesday, March 24).
By midday, the hole had grown to about 18in across, and about 18in deep, and people at the scene reported that the hole was growing bigger. Experts from Severn-Trent Water were dispatched to the scene.
Shortly after, the whole width of the carriageway was seen to be sinking, and pedestrians have also been advised to keep away from the hole.
It is believed that sewage water could be seen running beneath the roadway.
Police and Severn Trent Water officials have visited the site, and a specialist team from the water company's sewage division was reportedly sent.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “Our teams are on their way to Lower Street to investigate an issue reported by the local council. The road has been closed to motorists while we carry out this work. We understand this might be an inconvenience, and we’d like to thank everyone for their patience while we resolve the problem.”
A man at the scene said: "At the moment the traffic is fairly quiet, but it's going to be mayhem when the rush hour comes."
Wolverhampton Council said: "We have set up a temporary highways closure for Severn Trent Water to carry out repair work to its mains leak.
"Lower Street is temporarily closed to traffic and pedestrians between the junctions of Tettenhall Road and Lower Green.
"The diversion is via Aldersley Road, Oxley Moor Road, Stafford Road, Stafford Street, Ring Road, Chapel Ash, Tettenhall Road and vice versa."
It comes just two days after the sudden closure of Northway in Sedgley as a result of a burst water main, which is expected to be closed until Wednesday.
And on February 10 a 3ft-wide sinkhole appeared at the junction of Vicarage Road and All Saints Road in Wolverhampton, causing road closures and significant disruption. The area remains cordoned off.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.