Full reopening of Woodlands Lane junction delayed AGAIN until New Year

By Jim Aitken, community liaison officer at Alun Griffiths Ltd.

North section of BSW

Work continues to progress on the verge approaching the Aztec West Roundabout to construct the new dedicated bus lane from Bradley Stoke Way (BSW) onto the A38. The commencement of this work has been delayed due to uncharted utilities. The main utilities are now diverted and just minor utility works remain, however Griffiths are able to work around these to progress towards completion of the tie-in on Bradley Stoke Way before Christmas. The completion of this tie-in will facilitate the removal of the current full-time lane closure on the approach to the Aztec West Roundabout.

Following our Christmas shutdown (23rd December to 3rd January), we shall be focussing attention on completing the tie-in of the bus lane to the A38 and construction of the bus stop on the A38. These works cannot be completed until the works on BSW are completed due to phasing constraints.

Completion of the BSW tie-in will also enable the reopening of additional peak-time lane capacity between Orchard Gate and Aztec West to further reduce the impact on traffic. The current lane restrictions are required to ensure a safe working area for our workforce and also a safe footway for pedestrians passing the works.

Additionally, after the Christmas break, we shall be undertaking the final surfacing works between the two roundabouts that are currently only surfaced in a temporary state. This extensive operation, now planned to take place in early February, will require the removal of the top 40mm of surfacing and the placement of a new surface course. This operation will also enable us to regulate areas of poor surfacing to ensure a smooth surface finish. Additionally, in January, we shall complete finishing works such as landscaping, traffic signs and signal installation that will require periodic lane closures within the area between the two roundabouts. We shall, as promised, alert the local community of the final surfacing operations as they will require night time work.

Woodlands Lane junction

Griffiths will have completed all the required civils work by mid-January to facilitate the installation of traffic signals. The remaining civils works require the installation of traffic islands in the centre of the carriageway which, due to traffic flow restrictions, cannot be completed until the tie-in works on the bus slip lane onto the A38 are finished, which themselves have been delayed due to utility works (see above). The net result is that the Woodlands Lane junction will now not fully reopen until after the Christmas break. The signalisation works will be undertaken by South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) Traffic Signals Team and we are currently awaiting confirmation of an installation date from them to enable us to programme these works. Once received, we shall update the Journal. Until these signals are installed and commissioned by SGC, the junction will not be able to operate with all traffic movements.

Pedestrian issues

We are currently on programme to be in a position where we can reopen the short section of footway on BSW opposite the Woodlands Lane junction in mid-December. Unfortunately, additional Virgin Media works in this immediate area have prevented an earlier reopening.

The footway on the westbound side of BSW, which is currently closed from Patchway Brook Roundabout, is programmed to reopen as far as Woodlands Lane at the same time. Crossings at Woodlands Lane and Orchard Gate are dependent on traffic signal functionality and will be reopened at the same time as the signalised junctions themselves.

The zebra crossing at Patchway Brook Roundabout, which has two lanes on each approach, has been reduced to one for pedestrian safety reasons and traffic is filtered into a single lane on approach to each. This is causing some further traffic issues at peak times but we are restricted due to the safety concerns for pedestrians using the crossing.

Middle section of BSW

Towards the leisure centre, drainage works and island construction works will be ongoing until mid-December and we envisage the commencement of surfacing from early December, which will be carried out under daytime lane closures.

South section of BSW

Works are ongoing on three of the four new MetroBus bus stops and these are substantially complete except for the electrical supply connections which are being provided by Western Power Distribution (WPD). We plan to commence work on the fourth stop (Webbs Wood westbound) in early December, with completion soon into the New Year.

Great Stoke Way

Works on Great Stoke Way are complete, apart from the tie-in works for the Stoke Gifford By-Pass scheme at Parkway North Roundabout, which shall comprise of drainage and resurfacing works.

Stoke Gifford By-Pass

Having been handed the Network Rail bridge deck at the end of October, we are now well under way with the carriageway construction works either side of the deck. The cut on the southern approach to the bridge has been completed and kerbed, and will be surfaced (to binder course) in early December.

The fill on the northern approach is progressing well and will be ready for kerbing in the new year. This will connect the new rail bridge to the Parkway North Roundabout and will be surfaced in February or March (depending on the weather).

Installation of WPD cables is currently under way between Tudor Lodge and the A4174 (except in the area of the new Ham Brook bridge). This work will be followed by planting and seeding in these areas. Fencing works is already complete in many areas.

Traffic management (off-peak lane closures) will be required in the new year on the A4174 and Hambrook Lane, to complete traffic signal ducting installation.

• Contact the Griffiths MetroBus team on 08458 622327 or email metrobus@alungriffiths.co.uk

Photo: The new bus filter lane between Bradley Stoke Way and the A38 takes shape.

Related links:

• MetroBus community website (Alun Griffiths)
• MetroBus construction in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

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Update from MetroBus (issued 23rd November 2016)

We would like to apologise for the congestion in the Bradley Stoke area due to necessary road improvements.

We have had to close the nearside filter lane on the approach to Aztec West Roundabout to create a new bus lane. This has had a significant impact on the flow of traffic through Aztec West Roundabout leading to congestion on Bradley Stoke Way, Patchway Brook Roundabout and the link road between the M5 and Aztec West. We are aware that the congestion is especially bad during the morning and evening peak periods.

We have revalidated the traffic signals on Aztec West Roundabout to ensure that they are working efficiently.

The nearside filter lane on the approach to Aztec West is expected to be out of use until 15th December. At this point it will be re-opened and congestion will be eased. The works when complete will provide the new bus lane without reducing the number of general traffic lanes.

We apologise for the frustration that commuters are experiencing, but there are no alternatives to the current traffic measures. There is a large hole in the ground on the approach to Aztec West roundabout and removing any of the restrictions would compromise the safety of motorists and workers. Our contractors are working 7.30am to 5pm daily, seven days a week, in an attempt to complete the work ahead of schedule.

The MetroBus work in the Bradley Stoke area is rapidly coming to a conclusion. We ask all residents and commuters to bear with us during this last phase of construction. We are doing all that we can to complete our road improvements and remove the traffic restrictions as quickly as possible.

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This article originally appeared in the December 2016 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on pages 14 & 15). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.