Prepare for a whole year of roadworks in 2015!

Road users in North Bristol look set to be plagued by a whole year of major roadworks if, as expected, the North Fringe to Hengrove Package MetroBus project receives final approval from the Government in early 2015.

In February 2014, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) announced an £8m package of major road and cycle route improvements designed to help to tackle traffic congestion and increase the capacity of the road network ahead of the development of the planned Cribbs/Patchway New Neighbourhood during the coming decade.

At the time, SGC said that Government support for the schemes required them to be completed by March 2015, but it is now projecting completion dates as late as July 2015 (see below).

The construction of bus lanes in Bradley Stoke for the MetroBus project could start as early as April 2015, meaning that there will be little or no respite after the current set of roadworks on the A38 at junction 16 of the M5 are completed (currently also scheduled for April 2015).

1. M32, Junction 1
£0.4m scheme to install a pedestrian/cycle crossing facility across the southbound entry slip of the M32 Junction 1. Scheduled completion date January 2015.
Works to remove the existing bus gate began on 3rd November. Estimated completion of the scheme including the pedestrian/cycle crossing is February 2015.

2. M5, Junction 16
£1.25m scheme to widen the roundabout carriageway as part of a joint programme of works with the Highways Agency to improve traffic flow issues and provide additional capacity for the future.
Construction work to widen north side of circulatory carriageway in progress, with an estimated completion January 2015. Works to widen the A38 southbound approach to commence in January 2015 with an estimated completion of April 2015.

3. A38 Gloucester Road North
£2m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the two-lane northbound approach to Filton Roundabout by widening the carriageway on the east side. Consultation on this scheme was undertaken in March 2014. Scheduled completion date July 2015.
Utilities diversionary works are in progress, with an estimated completion of March 2015. Widening works will follow with an estimated completion of July 2015.

4. Gipsy Patch Lane / A38
£0.9m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the two-lane westbound approach to the A38. Scheduled completion date March 2015.
The new widened footway/cycleway on the north side is complete. Work to widen the road on the south side is in progress with an estimated completion of the end of March.

5. A4174, Filton Roundabout
£0.8m scheme to improve traffic flow and increase capacity by extending the three-lane westbound approach to Filton Roundabout by widening the carriageway.
The widening of the A4174 Link Road is complete. The final road surface will be applied with the major resurfacing of the Filton roundabout in spring 2015.

6. Bristol Road, Hambrook
£1.3m scheme to improve pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities at the A4174 Hambrook Junction. Includes major resurfacing of the Bristol Road on the Frenchay side of the Ring Road. Scheduled completion date June 2015.
The traffic lights were upgraded in the first week of September. Widening works on the Bristol Road are severely behind programme due to the delays in the diversions of public utilities. Works will be suspended from 12th November 2014 until 5th January 2015. Significant highways and drainage works still remain, therefore the works will not be completed until June 2015. The part of Bristol Road to the north of the junction will be closed to northbound traffic during the Easter holidays 2015 to allow widening works at the narrowest part of the road and will also be closed closer to completion of the works to enable full surfacing of the new carriageway. Two-way traffic flow will remain during all other periods.

7. A38 Aztec Roundabout
MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lanes (a) Between Bradley Stoke Way northbound and A38 southbound and (b) Between the roundabout and the Woodlands Lane junction on Bradley Stoke Way.
Planned start: April 2015
Planned end: September 2017

8. Bradley Stoke Way, between Aztec West Roundabout and Patchway Brook Roundabout
MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on Bradley Stoke Way northbound.
Planned start: April 2015
Planned end: December 2016

9. Bradley Stoke Way, between Great Meadow Roundabout and Great Stoke Roundabout
MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on Bradley Stoke Way southbound.
Planned start: April 2015
Planned end: January 2017

10. A4174 Hambrook Junction to Frome Bridge
MetroBus: Road widening for new bus lane on A4174 eastbound.
Planned start: May 2015
Planned end: April 2017

Sources:

• North Fringe roadworks (South Gloucestershire Council)
• MetroBus: Indicative construction programme (from planning application)

This article originally appeared in the January 2015 edition of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine, delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,450 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

Postscript:

• Work is also being carried out by the Highways Agency on the northbound exit slip road at junction 16 of the M5. This is due to start on 12th January 2015 and last for 13 weeks.
• Just off the map, at junction 17 of the M5 (Cribbs Causeway), SGC is carrying out work to widen the roundabout carriageway (estimated completion April 2015) and the Highways Agency is carrying out improvement work on the southbound exit slip road (estimated completion end February 2015).