MetroBus construction: April progress report

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

Bradley Stoke Way (BSW)

Continuing the finishing works for this area, areas of anti-skid surface at the junction of Orchard Gate, Woodlands Lane and Patchway Brook Roundabout will be undertaken outside of peak hours (after 7pm) during May, due to the limited space available and potential traffic impact.

Now the weather has improved, the final landscaping is taking place along BSW, creating the final profile to the verge and swale areas, and forming the embankment profiles so they may receive turfing and planting.

A38 south of Aztec West

Work commenced on the northbound MetroBus stop in mid-April and this should take approximately six weeks to complete.

The southbound MetroBus stop is now complete. Other works in and around the A38 southbound are planned for completion by late May or early June.

South of Patchway Brook

The new bus lane will remain closed, to allow for various ongoing traffic management switches, so that the anti-skid surfaces and road marking can be completed.

Landscaping and planting will also be carried out, as previously described for the upper section of BSW.

The additional footway by the new MetroBus stop near Aldi has now been completed.

Webbs Wood Roundabout

All works in this area are complete, apart from ancillary fixtures and fittings required at the MetroBus stops once the shelters have been installed by other contractors.

Great Stoke Roundabout

Earthworks in this area are 75 percent compete and road excavation 50 percent complete. These two operations are being synchronised to maximise materials staying within the work area, for sustainability reasons (it removes the need to tip off-site). It also reduces the likelihood of depositing excessive mud on the road surface.

These works have been carried out without impeding the flow of traffic along this stretch of BSW.

Lighting columns have now been relocated to allow steady progression of the main works, drainage and road excavation, which will continue during May.

Stoke Gifford By-Pass

All drainage work has been completed from Patchway North Roundabout to the new Network Rail bridge. Adding road base, binder and surface course from the Parkway North Roundabout entrance to the Network Rail Bridge will be undertaken during May .

The surface course has been laid along 50 percent of the scheme, along with road markings.

Filling works to form the new road approach to the new Ham Brook Bridge from the north and south sides is now complete up to the capping layer. Drainage and kerbing work will take place during May up to the Ham Brook Bridge.

We continue to shape the verges and work has commenced and is ongoing on the sound attenuation bund protecting the housing between the Network Rail Bridge and Great Stoke Way. Topsoil and spoil heap is currently being removed and compound materials removed. A two-metre-high acoustic fence will be erected in June/July along this route.

Final surface course and road marking will now be taking place in early May, from the A4174 up to the Oxleigh Way junction and from the north of the new Ham Brook Bridge up to Hambrook Lane.

Ham Brook Bridge and the approaches approximately 300m either side will be surfaced along with all associated works once it has been handed over to Alun Griffiths from the bridge contractor; this is expected to happen during May.

A series of short duration closures of Hambrook Lane will be required for final surfacing and anti-skid, lasting 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

Photos: 1 Work underway on the southbound approach of Bradley Stoke Way to Great Stoke Roundabout. 2 New bus lane between Bradley Stoke Way and the southbound A38 at Aztec West.

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