Work on a £2.9m scheme of major improvements at Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout is still on track to be completed by the end of September, three months ahead of schedule.
A three-week period of overnight road closures that began on 5th August was drawing to an end as we went to press, with the final surfacing having been completed and road marking (white lining) well advanced.
Homeowners living near the site reported “horrendous” levels of noise during the surfacing work in mid-August, which coincided with a period of very warm weather when windows needed to be left open at night.
Many road users complained of confusing diversion signage, a situation made worse by there being two other road closures in the area at the same time: Gipsy Patch Lane bridge (Network Rail) and Trench Lane bridge (Highways England).
A temporary ramp that had been used to divert the footway on the west side of Bradley Stoke Way along the top of the roadside embankment has now been dismantled.
The improvements carried out at the roundabout are designed to accommodate the increase in traffic flows expected from committed housing developments in the area, including those at East of Harry Stoke and Filton Airfield. The scheme is also intended to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
All approaches to the roundabout have been increased from two to three lanes; the carriageway around the roundabout has been widened and toucan crossings are being installed on all four arms of the roundabout. Shared-used paths have been widened and new entry and exit points have been created for cyclists.
Editor’s comment: Lighter traffic during the Covid-19 emergency may have allowed the scheme to be completed ahead of schedule and lessened the feared impact of overlapping with the Gipsy Patch Lane bridge closure, but many residents remain to be convinced that the work was necessary in the first place.
This article originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on page 3). The magazine is delivered FREE, nine times a year, to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
Update (2nd September 2020)
On 27th August (after we went to press), South Gloucestershire Council announced that overnight closures of Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout had been extended by one week until Friday 4th September as recent wet weather has impeded road surface laying.
