SLEEPLESS nights for residents caused by vibrations from lorries pounding down a busy road could soon be over.
After complaints by angry neighbours in Greenford Road, councillors have agreed to use £15,000, from Greenford Green's annual ward forum budget of £37,500, to commission a survey to find the source of the problem.
Houses suffer broken windows and cracked plaster from the constant shudders of heavy goods vehicles travelling from the industrial estate to the A40.
The study is the first of its kind in the area.
Ward councillor Jason Stacey said: "Vibrations is one of the issues we don't have any clear idea about. We need to get a grip on what is the true situation in relation to what is normal.
"Residents said, five years ago the council put down quiet Tarmac which helped but we need to know if there's something wrong with the structure of the road. We can't be the only stretch of road in London with lorries going down it."
Three areas will be investigated: the level and source of vibrations, if the speed limit could be reduced from 30 to 40mph - Mr Stacey did not rule out this option, although he highlighted that speed humps could not be used on an A road and the speed had already been lowered from 40mph - and if improving road markings and extra signs could make drivers concentrate on their speed.
While the news is the first hope of respite for many residents, some of whom have endured the problem for more than 30 years, one homeowner, Agnelo Dias, 45, said he will not hold his breath.
"At this moment I think nothing is being done about this. They're only saying they will do it. I wrote to the council and received an email back in September but haven't received anything since," he said.
"It's winter now and my window is still cracked.
"Hopefully by the next meeting (in February) we will know more. I'm scared that they will not start repairing the uneven surfaces now. If not, by the next meeting there'll be a lot of damages caused by this."
The council's transport chief Councillor Bassam Mahfouz said finding a feasible solution is half the battle; funding could be sourced from outside grants, TfL or remaining council funds.
