Transport chiefs have apologised for failing to clear graffiti which has blighted a railway bridge in Hounslow for three years.
Unsightly tags scrawled on the bridge across St John's Road, near Isleworth station, and blocked gutters are a major bugbear for residents.
Residents are also unhappy about the state of the station itself, where they say broken fences have not been repaired and Oystercard readers are covered with pigeon droppings.
They say they have reached the "end of the line" after years of demanding action from Network Rail , which is responsible for maintaining railway lines, and South West Trains (SWT), which looks after the station.
Hopes were raised when the road was closed on Sunday, July 10, with disgruntled residents believing this was to provide access for renovation work.
'We have lost patience following a three-year wait'
But they told of their disappointment after workers trimmed a few shrubs before heading off after about an hour, leaving the graffiti untouched.
Dominic West, chairman of St John's Residents Association, said: "We have lost patience following a three-year wait to get the bridge and station cleaned up and repaired. We've reached the end of the line.
"It took Network Rail three years to acknowledge there was a problem and six months to get the road closed for the bridge works, so you can imagine how gutted we were to see our hopes had been dashed and nothing had happened."
'I'd like to apologise to our neighbours in Isleworth'
Owen Johns, a spokesman for Network Rail, said: "I'd like to apologise to our neighbours in Isleworth that planned repairs, including the clearance of graffiti, were not carried out to St John's bridge during the recent road closure.
"We are now working to get a further road closure later this summer that will allow us to make the repairs, and will update residents and the council as soon as this is confirmed."
Mr West also claimed no improvements had been made to the station itself since it was made part of SWT's Community Rail Partnership scheme - an initiative to work with local volunteers to tidy up stations - last November.
"You wouldn't think SWT's franchise was up for renewal, would you?" he added.
South West Trains 'working to address issues'
An SWT spokesperson said: "We agree that more can be done to improve Isleworth station and we are working with local councillors to identify areas for improvement and address these as quickly as possible."
She added that the train operator had line cleaners, who clean the Oystercard readers, out on a weekly basis.
She said it was working on cycle and pedestrian access to the car park from St John's Road and the fence may be reviewed as part of that programme.
And she added it would shortly be putting up notices reminding people not to drink at the station.
