The Bradley Stoke Journal

A new northbound bus lane on the A38 Gloucester Road between Patchway and Aztec West has entered service following months of construction and associated traffic disruption.

Work on the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) funded scheme started in April 2010 and was originally due to finish by October but “engineering issues” and “adverse weather conditions” saw its completion slip to the end of February this year.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) says the new bus lane, combined with improvements to bus stops, pedestrian access and road widening, will improve the reliability of bus services and also improve the experience for bus users and reduce congestion for all road users.

The service lane between the Little Stoke junction and Hempton Lane has been converted to a peak-time only bus lane between 7:30am – 9.30am and 4pm – 7pm.

The existing carriageway from Hempton Lane to the Aztec West Roundabout has also been widened to accommodate a new bus lane.

Taxis, motorcycles and cyclists are also permitted to use the bus lanes.

Further improvements include:

• The bus stop on the A38 northbound near to the roundabout has been relocated adjacent to the pedestrian access to the business park to improve access
• The existing pedestrian crossing point on the approach to the roundabout is upgraded to enable cyclists to use it
• An additional on-carriageway cycle lane on the southbound A38 from Aztec West Roundabout
• An additional traffic lane on the roundabout for all traffic heading right toward Woodlands Lane via Bradley Stoke Way

A similar improvement scheme has also recently been completed at Great Stoke Way, near the Sainsbury’s store in Stoke Gifford.

Read on for comments from SGC and First Bus Bristol »

Roadworks to to install a new northbound bus lane on the A38 Gloucester Road in the vicinity of the Aztec West Roundabout are likely to continue until the end of January, according to South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

The works, which have involved frequent lane closes on the busy route, began in early April 2010.

The completion date was originally given as the end of October but a number of  “engineering issues” saw that date slip to the end of November.

With the works still ongoing six weeks after the revised deadline, The Journal has been given the following statement from SGC:

“Our contractors working on the roadworks at the Aztec West roundabout have experienced significant delays due to the adverse weather conditions. This started with the continuous heavy rain in November followed by the very cold spell in December, which prevented certain works from being carried out. The bus lane is currently scheduled to open in late January, weather permitting.”

The new bus lane is part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) project, a £70 million scheme to improve bus services on ten key routes throughout the region.

Roadworks on the A38 Gloucester Road (south of the Aztec West Roundabout) that were due be completed by the end of October could disrupt traffic for a further month, according to South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

The work to install a new northbound bus lane on the approach to the roundabout began in April and was scheduled to be completed by Friday 29th October but the first week of November saw major disruption as the A38 was reduced at times to a single lane of traffic.

An SGC spokesman told The Journal:

“The roadworks at the Bradley Stoke Way roundabout associated with the installation of a new bus lane on the A38 between Hempton Lane and Aztec West have overrun due a number of engineering issues. These include the installation of an additional pedestrian guardrail, some issues with drainage on the site which require additional drainage measures to be installed, and difficulties with the installation of street lighting columns due to the amount of public utilities under the highway, which caused a delay to the surfacing programme.”

He added:

“The estimated completion date for these works will be late November, early December. The council appreciates the patience of road users delayed by the overrun and looks forward to the improved transport provision that these works will bring upon their completion.”

The new bus lane is part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) project, a £70 million scheme to improve bus services on ten key routes throughout the region.

Roadworks at the Aztec West Roundabout on the A38 Gloucester Road are set to continue for “two to three weeks” according to an unofficial source at South Gloucestershire Council (SGC).

Signs notifying motorists of impending work to install a bus lane on the northbound carriageway of the A38 south of the roundabout had been displayed in the vicinity for a number of weeks but many drivers were taken by surprise when lane restrictions were imposed on the roundabout itself on Monday morning.

The closure of one of the three lanes on the roundabout between the Bradley Stoke Way and Aztec West Business Park exits led to massive tailbacks, stretching back onto to the M4 and M5 motorways during the morning rush hour.

The work is also having a knock-on effect on traffic leaving Bradley Stoke, with longer than normal tailbacks being experienced along Bradley Stoke Way.

Traffic leaving the business park during the evening peak hours is also being affected due to the closure of one of the three lanes exiting onto the roundabout.

The work being done on the roundabout itself will add an extra general traffic lane for northbound traffic on the A38 making a right turn into Bradley Stoke Way.

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A scheme to add a bus lane on the northbound carriageway of the A38 between Little Stoke and the Aztec West Roundabout has been amended after a public consultation.

The scheme, first announced by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) in September, replaced an earlier proposal for a more comprehensive system of new bus and general traffic lanes on roads leading off the Aztec West Roundabout.

That earlier plan was abandoned after First Group changed the route of its 73 service so that it no longer entered the Aztec West Business Park.

The new scheme foresees the creation of a new bus lane (with no reduction in the number of general traffic lanes) on the A38 between the Little Stoke junction (near the Texaco filling station) and the Aztec West Roundabout.

The public consultation attracted 32 responses from individuals and business. The council says it also received two petitions opposing the scheme from residents and businesses in the Patchway and Bradley Stoke areas, containing a combined total of over 300 signatures.

Residents of properties along the A38 said they were concerned about the loss of the existing service lane, which they say helps them to merge into the traffic flow on the main road. They also complained about the loss of parking space and pointed out that customers of the Ambourne House Nursery would no longer be able to queue in the service lane whilst waiting to enter the premises.

The council says that it has now revised its plans following the public feedback:

• The bus lane will operate at peak hours only (7.30am – 9.30am and 4.00pm – 7.00pm)
• Residents will be allowed to pick up and set down passengers while the bus lane is in operation
• A bus lay-by made redundant by the scheme will converted to a limited waiting bay, primarily to serve as an overspill car park for the Ambourne House Nursery

The Journal Comments

While the proposed changes will undoubtedly speed bus journeys between Bristol and Aztec West (and beyond to Thornbury), they will bring little benefit for the residents of Bradley Stoke. It is therefore wrong for the council to present this scheme as a replacement for the earlier Aztec West bus lane scheme, which included two new general traffic lanes on Bradley Stoke Way between the Aztec West Roundabout and Woodlands Lane.

Those new general traffic lanes would have helped ease the notorious traffic congestion that occurs between Woodlands Lane and the Aztec West Roundabout.

SGC has failed to respond to The Journal’s request for an official  statement on the status of the original Bradley Stoke Way plans, but a council representative manning the recent North Fringe Rapid Transit exhibition at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre inferred that the original scheme has indeed been superseded by the rapid transit plans.

The bus rapid transit system, which is subject to government funding and will not be built before 2013/2014, will see two dedicated bus lanes running between the Aztec West Business Park and Bristol city centre. Regrettably, there is currently no suggestion that this scheme will include any improvements for general traffic flow on Bradley Stoke Way.

South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has opened a public consultation on plans for a major new road transport scheme that will link Bradley Stoke with Bristol city centre.

The scheme, known as the North Fringe to Hengrove Package, includes provision of bus rapid transit services, the construction of a new link road between Stoke Gifford and the A4174 Avon Ring Road (close to junction 1 of the M32 at Hambrook) and a new Park & Ride facility beside the M32 (close to the Coldharbour Lane bridge).

“In principle” funding of £168 million was approved by the government in July and the next step will be the submission of a Major Scheme Business Case to the Department for Transport (DfT) by March 2010. If the scheme is approved, implementation could start in 2013/2014 – according to the West of England Partnership (WoEP), which is fronting the bid on behalf of SGC and Bristol City Council.

Rapid transport is described as a fast, frequent and reliable public transport service provided by buses running, where possible, on traffic-free routes – sometimes on and sometimes off existing roads. Journey times will be reduced by requiring tickets  to be purchased prior to boarding and giving buses priority over other road users at traffic lights.

The long-awaited Stoke Gifford Transport Link, which will combine a bus rapid transit route with a regular road, is intended to relieve the current congestion around Bristol Parkway station. The route will start from Great Stoke Way in Stoke Gifford, running initially behind houses in Kings Drive.  A new bridge will be constructed to carry the link over the Bristol to London railway line, east of Bristol Parkway station.

Maps included in the consultation documents show the bus rapid transit route starting on the Aztec West Business Park and then following the full length of Bradley Stoke Way before using the new Stoke Gifford Transport Link to reach the Avon Ring Road. Buses will then head for the University of the West of England (UWE) campus on Coldharbour Lane before joining the M32 at the new Park & Ride.

Proposed stops along Bradley Stoke Way include Woodlands Lane, Patchway Brook Roundabout, the Willow Brook Centre, Webbs Wood Roundabout and Baileys Court Roundabout.

SGC is staging a number of unstaffed public exhibitions to allow residents to learn more about the proposals. Local venues are:

• From Monday 30th November to Friday 4th December at the Aztec West Centre
• From Monday 30th November to Monday 7th December at the Willow Brook Centre

A staffed exhibition is also being staged at Bradley Stoke Library on Saturday 5th December, from 9am to 12 noon.

The consultation period runs until Friday 8th January 2010.

Related links:

• North Fringe to Hengrove Package consultation (SGC)
• North Fridge Rapid Transit (The Journal)
• North Fringe to Hengrove Package (WoEP)