By Jim Aitken, community liaison officer at Alun Griffiths Ltd.
Bradley Stoke Way (BSW)
Now that the works in this area are substantially complete there remain just some small works. Anti-skid surface is to be added in key areas along BSW on the approaches to lights, crossings and roundabouts. This will be done at off-peak times during April, with some traffic management. It should take around two weeks, but is weather dependant.
A38 south of Aztec West
Road box excavation is complete and we are preparing for surfacing. Work is ongoing on the MetroBus stop with kerbing and ducting work, including further service diversions and utility slewing. There will be a temporary pedestrian signal crossing that shall be configured on the A38 crossing to facilitate the remainder of the works. A temporary public footpath is maintained around the works from Aztec West.
South of Patchway Brook
The bus lane along BSW from Patchway Brook will remain coned and closed until legally signed and commissioned, including high-friction surfacing which needs to be placed. Additional permanent speed signage will be added as speed changes from 40mph to 30mph along this route. Road signage installation is partially complete and should be completed within April. Some temporary speed signage is in place until this is completed. Landscaping sub-contractors will be working on the verges.
Ongoing minor works to complete the zebra crossing area and an additional 20m of footway construction is to be undertaken near Aldi, where pedestrians will be diverted into the closed off new bus lane.
Webbs Wood Roundabout
Western Power will be doing connection work on the bus stop and Griffiths will be adding the final surface to the adjoining footpath which just has currently a temporary surface.
Great Stoke Roundabout
Excavation work has begun, but we are wary of inclement weather and heavy rain, so may postpone earth removal until more favourable weather to prevent the likelihood of mud on the road. Having revised this, we may require temporary signals from time to time, but this shall be used as a last resort to ensure safety of the workforce and road users. Instead we will use minor off-peak traffic lane management 9.30am to 3.30 pm, reducing the southbound approach to Great Stoke Roundabout to one lane (from two).
Six lighting columns have been moved and reinstalled for the new road alignment and drainage work is ongoing. We have an archaeologist on site keeping watch on the groundworks.
Hunts Ground Road
Temporary traffic lights are in place here for the safety of road users and the workforce. We anticipate that the works here will take a further five weeks from the beginning of April. One MetroBus stop has been completed on the park and ride side. We are now working on a stop on the opposite side.
Stoke Gifford By-Pass
The work in this area is shared across three contractors, with Griffiths having responsibility for the roadworks. There are two bridges, one has been handed to Griffiths some months ago by Network Rail and good progress has been made with the road here. The other bridge (over the Ham Brook) is still in possession of the remaining contractor and Griffiths await access to complete the roadwork.
We anticipate that all drainage work will be completed during April and May, as well as laying the road base, binder and surface course from Parkway North Roundabout along to the Network Rail bridge and down to the Hambrook Lane junction.
Work will commence moving fill materials in readiness for filling the ground level on the approach to Ham Brook Bridge from the north and south side to make progress in laying of the road over it. Earthwork will continue to shape the verges and work has commenced and is ongoing on the sound attenuation bund protecting the housing that borders the stretch between the Network Rail bridge and Great Stoke Way. This will later be topped with a two-metre-high acoustic fence.
Final surface course and road markings will be taking place in early April, from the A4174 up to the Oxleigh Way junction and from the north of the new Ham Brook bridge up to Hambrook Lane.
The Ham Brook bridge and the approaches approximately 300m long on either side of it will be surfaced, along with all associated works, once it has been handed over to Alun Griffiths.
A series of short duration closures of Hambrook Lane will be required for final surfacing and anti-skid treatment. These will last for a total of no longer than five days over a few weeks in May and June.
• Contact the Griffiths MetroBus team on 08458 622327 or email metrobus@alungriffiths.co.uk
Photo: Aerial photo of MetroBus works on Bradley Stoke Way (taken 24th February 2017). [View a hi-res version on Dropbox.]
This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 14). 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.
With regards “South of Patchway Brook” and “Additional permanent speed signage will be added as speed changes from 40mph to 30mph along this route.”, they’re not going to make the whole road up to the leisure centre 30mph are they?
That’s what it sounds like isn’t it. How is that justified? I think the idea of the whole scheme is to produce maximum delay and frustration for motorists on a permanent basis!
Re: 30mph limit. The Griffiths report may not be be very clear about this, but my understanding is that the extent of the previous 30mph limit near the Willow Brook Centre will remain unchanged. The comment is just about replacing the 30mph signage and road markings that were removed during the MetroBus works.