Motorists in the Stokes will have to contend with yet another series of road closures starting this Thursday (13th August 2020) when a major resurfacing scheme gets under way on Orpheus Avenue and the southern end of Brook Way.
The work, which is expected to take four weeks to complete (i.e. until 9th September), will involve the planing off of the existing surface of the carriageway and the laying of a new surface.
The area of work stretches half-a-mile from the Kemperleye Way junction on Brook Way in the north (near Christ the King Church), across the Braydon Avenue mini-roundabout, then across Sherbourne’s Brake (Beehive) Roundabout and down to Steanbridge Roundabout in the south.
Side roads that connect to the area of work include Hawkins Crescent (south end), Braydon Avenue, Elm Close, Baileys Court Road, Hercules Close and Orion Drive.
Enquiries by the Journal have confirmed that the roads will only be closed while work is taking place, nominally between 8am and 6pm,[1] Monday to Friday only.
The roads will be reopened to traffic overnight and at weekends.
A letter circulated to stakeholders states:
“We will make every effort to ensure that access to properties and amenities fronting the site and whose only access is from the closed road, is kept available and the disruption to local residents is kept to a minimum. However, there may be periods of time when access to properties by vehicle will be unachievable, and for this, we apologise.”
The letter warns that the works will create a “significant amount of noise”.
Asked whether the entire area of works will be closed each day or if closures might be restricted to particular sub-sections at any given time, a spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said:
“Although the entire area will be subject to a legal road closure for the duration of the works, the contractor will close shorter sections of the road between junctions and side roads as work takes place. Traffic management operatives will be on site at all times to assist traffic within the closed areas.”
Alternative routes will be signposted as necessary whilst the works are in progress.
Resurfacing of Brook Way and Orpheus Avenue was previously set to be carried out in February 2020, but was postponed in view of the traffic congestion being caused at that time (pre-Covid-19) by the roadworks at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout. Funding of more than £560,000 was subsequently reallocated in order to carry out the work in 2020/21.
[1] The end time of 6pm given by South Gloucestershire Council differs from the end time of 5pm shown on the signage on site (see photo).
More information: Letter to Stakeholders [MS Word; 3.7MB]
Bus diversion (service 73)
Statement from First West of England:
Orpheus Avenue in Bradley Stoke will be closed to service 73 between 8am and 6pm from Thursday 13th August through to Monday 7th September[2] for resurfacing works.
Whilst this closure is in place the following diversion will apply:
- Service 73 heading towards Cribbs Causeway when reaching Hatchet Road roundabout to turn right into Winterbourne Road as far as Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout (open during the day despite ongoing roadworks); turn left into Bradley Stoke Way to next roundabout (Great Meadow) then turn right into Baileys Court Road / Webbs Wood Road to resume normal route.
- Service 73 heading towards Temple Meads to operate the reverse of the above.
Regretfully the bus stops between and including Orpheus Avenue and Great Meadow Roundabout will not be served.
Source: First West of England news article
[2] The end date of 7th September given by First Bus differs from the end date of 9th September given in the stakeholder letter distributed by South Gloucestershire Council.
Bus diversion (service 77)
Statement from Stagecoach West:
We’ve been told that Brook Way will be closed from 13th August until 9th September and during this time, Service 77 will need to go a different way and this may take a bit longer.
As a result of this closure, we won’t be able to serve stops on Brook Way and Orpheus Avenue. The bus will service Winterbourne Road and Bradley Stoke Way, resuming its normal route at Aztec West Roundabout.
Source: Stagecoach West news article
Other local road closures currently in force
- Gipsy Patch Lane is closed 24/7 at the railway bridge until approximately July 2021
- Trench Lane is closed 24/7 at the motorway bridge until Thursday 3rd September 2020 (inclusive)
- Overnight closures of Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout and all approach roads are continuing until Friday 28th August (inclusive; weather permitting)
- Beacon Lane, under the motorway bridge until Tuesday 18th August 2020 (timings unclear)
