MetroBus construction set to begin on new section of Bradley Stoke Way

north-east side of Bradley Stoke Way, near Patchway Brook Roundabout, in preparation for road widening associated with the MetroBus project.

MetroBus construction work looks set to be extended onto a further section of Bradley Stoke Way within the next few days, after local businesses were informed that new ‘traffic management’ measures are about to be put in place.

The Journal understands that work is about to start on widening the section of Bradley Stoke Way between Patchway Brook Roundabout (near Aldi) and Savages Wood Roundabout (near Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre / Tesco Extra).

Contractors have been working on part of the section today, felling trees and removing vegetation on the north-east side of the road between Bowsland Way and Primrose Bridge.

The planned work will see the road widened by one lane’s width on the north-east side, so that the two existing general traffic lanes can be moved over to allow the creation of a north-west bound bus lane running from the Willow Brook Centre up to the roundabout near Aldi.

In a letter sent to businesses and schools in the area on 23rd February, the community liaison officer for MetroBus contractors Alun Griffiths writes:

“There will be traffic management in place on Bradley Stoke Way between Patchway Brook and Savages Wood from Thursday 25th February 2016.”

According to the letter, the traffic management measures will include:

  • Narrow lanes to be implemented from Patchway Brook Roundabout to Savages Wood Roundabout, however maintaining two-way traffic at all time
  • The bus lane west of the Savages Wood Roundabout to be closed, however bus access to the Willow Brook Centre from Bradley Stoke Way to be maintained
  • Some localised footway diversions will be required, but crossings will be maintained or alternative crossings provided and signposted

The roadworks.org website states that “lane closures to install traffic management for main works” will take place tonight (25th February), with the main works lasting from 26th February 2016 to 10th January 2017.

Local MP Jack Lopresti has arranged a public meeting at Bradley Stoke Community School tomorrow (26th February, 7pm start) to discuss local residents’ concerns about the level of disruption the MetroBus works are causing.

Photo: Tree felling on Bradley Stoke Way today (25th February).

Related link: MetroBus construction in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

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13 comments

  1. There is no point to the meeting! The residents were ignored at the first consultation, and it will continue that way! No one cares about the people that have to live with this hell that used to be our home!

  2. I live in Ferndene and my house sides on with the main Bradley Stoke road where all the work is commencing. One night last week we had roadworks which started about 9pm, and last night (2/3/16).
    Both those nights I haven’t been able to sleep due to the noise and big flashy lights spinning around and the workmen shouting at one another.
    I had no warning of this going on and I am so angry with it all happening.
    I am sure whoever agreed for all this, would just be as annoyed as most residents here in Bradley Stoke, if this was going on outside your bedroom window!!

  3. I live in north Bradley Stoke and have found that very few residents have any idea what is going on with the metro and the heliport.Most people are unaware the route the metro will take for residents going from Bradley Stoke into Bristol and how long it will take and the cost. There is also concern that there will be no park and ride like other areas so that everyone wishing to use the metro will park in the streets close to the metro route for convenience all day. Most people feel they have been sadly let down by SGCC and Bradley Town Council who have not bothered to inform residents in anyway, like putting up posters in strategic places local shops etc,so the residents feel they should take a more active roll in such a large project that is affecting thousands of people every day.

  4. I agree that the Metrobus scheme has not well been marketed, but maybe that is a media fault, not sure.

    For the MetroBus scheme to work, all ‘customers’ will need smart card that will work with normal buses, MetroBus and MetroWest. This means customers will have have multipoint journeys on frequent services.

    The MetroWest scheme has not been mentioned here, but see http://travelwest.info/projects/metrowest. The four tracking of the line from Bristol Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads is in progress, and when complet will allow frequent services from Yate to BTM. The Portishead line is about to re-open and the re-opening of the Henbury Spur connecting Henbury and Cribbs Causeway to the local nework.

    If all this works, transport should be a lot better, and our need for cars will diminish. There is a big IF in this though!

  5. “No one cares about the people that have to live with this hell that used to be our home!”
    I suppose it depends on your definition of “hell”……..I suspect someone from Homs or Aleppo might take umbrage at your interpretation.

  6. The Metrobus system seems to promote travel from South Bristol to the Mall and on into the sunset but does not seem to be very clear to everybody in Bradley Stoke the route they would have to take to get from Bradley Stoke into Bristol as the route seems to stop at the Mall.The residents of Bradley Stoke would like to know from Gloucestershire county Council the route that will be taken into Bristol and to confirm that the route will be circular i.e. not running in two directions using the same road.The other concern is do the bradley Stoke Council have any plans to provide a park and ride as in other areas or will the residents have put up with their streets being used as car parks as is in Bristol.

  7. SGC has proven itself to be incompetent and anti-car, for example new builds only require 1 parking space and no decent public transport infrastructure.

    For example the only park and ride card park that SGC have is the car park behind BPW that has no direct bus connection and no proper walkway to BPW.

    The argument between Bristol Council and SGC in 2002-3 delayed and stopped the Tram system because they couldn’t agree on the end point, BPW or Cribbs.

    The proposed MetroBus system integrates well with MetroWest, what needs to happen at this point is that local is for a frequent local bus service integrates with MetroBus/MetroWest.

    Finally, alone amongst councils London (via TfL) can define bus routes, frequencies and times. All other councils, including SGC, have to accept what the market, First, provides. So whilst it is easy and right to criticise SGC, in many ways the Government is to blame for poor local public transport.

  8. Why do people always have to moan about things yes we all have to put up with a bit of noise from the roadworks but once it done we will have a better way of traveling about this area
    It always seems doom and gloom from some people

  9. Simon: the number of car park spaces per dwelling on new build comes from central government, so SGC cannot be held responsible for that. If homes only have space for one car then I am sure you would like to see additional public transport to help provide travel choice. This is what SGC is doing. The volume of traffic growth on South Glos roads is not sustainable in the long term, so it’s not a matter of being anti-car, but a realisation that residents have to make changes to their travel choices if the area is to be changed from the current car park that it becomes at peak times.

  10. JL, thank you for clarifying the position of SGC and government regarding parking spaces per home. I was not aware of this.

    However, SGC has failed to provide park and ride schemes unlike other local councils and its failure to compromise with Bristol City Council other the route of the Tram system in 2002/3 caused the cancellation of the project.

    The ever increasing traffic volumes have to be addressed and the only options left are MetroBus+MetroWest to encourage people out of their cars onto public transport

  11. Can anyone explain the rationale behind all the cones set up along the Bradley Stoke Way? I see them every day… and struggle to see the point.
    If the works are not done on the road itself (or here are no works yet at all)… then why put cones on the road?
    Don’t think I’ve seen anything like it anywhere outside Britain – and that makes you wonder.

  12. I am also puzzled about what work is being done.

    I can see plenty of road works, but I cannot see any road widening. I have seen cables laid and curbs tidied.

    I thought the plan was to widen the carriageway and add single/double lanes for buses, but there appears to be no sign of this.

    Mind you, with 18 months of work ahead of, us anything could happen.

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