MetroBus construction work will still be going on within Bradley Stoke as late as August 2017, the Journal can reveal.
The news follows a decision by MetroBus contractors Alun Griffiths to “re-sequence” its programme of work at the southern end of Bradley Stoke Way, where a new bus lane is being constructed on the southbound approach to Great Stoke Roundabout.
At the start of the project in September 2015, Griffiths said they planned to finish all MetroBus work in the town by Christmas 2016, beating the advertised completion date by a few months, but the discovery of a series of uncharted gas and water mains at the northern end of Bradley Stoke Way added delays, with the consequence that the Woodlands Lane junction remained fully or partially closed for 76 weeks instead of the 18 weeks originally estimated.
In December 2016, South Gloucestershire Council gave a projected date of 11th July 2017 for the completion of work near Great Stoke Roundabout, but at a public meeting in January 2017 Griffiths said they were aiming to complete it by the end of May. [See: Presentation slides]
Despite work on the stretch starting on schedule at the end of February and favourable weather conditions during April, Griffiths have recently announced that the work will now extend into “the school summer holiday period”.
Asked to expand on the statement in their monthly progress report, a Griffiths spokesperson said:
“There is a large drainage excavation on the north east corner of Great Stoke Roundabout and design changes may be required where the [underground] services cross it. This will make the excavation extremely difficult. Managing the safety of pedestrians around this area is our primary concern, as public safety and the safety of our workforce is paramount. Therefore, it has been decided to extend the existing traffic management (which is working well) into August, so that this work can be completed with the least disruption and safely.”
In other news, MetroBus work on the A38 at Aztec West will now run into June and there has been slippage on the completion date for the Stoke Gifford Transport Link (SGTL, a.k.a. Stoke Gifford By-Pass).
The Griffiths spokesperson added:
“Any delays for the SGTL are out of our control. As mentioned in our report, we are awaiting hand over of the Ham Brook bridge by a third party contractor. We cannot complete the roadway until this is done.”
| Notable dates | |
|---|---|
June 2017 |
Work complete at Aztec West |
| June 2017 | Announcement of MetroBus operators |
August 2017 |
Work complete on Bradley Stoke Way |
| August 2017 | Unveiling of brand, logos, buses, iPoints etc. |
| August 2017 | iPoint installation begins |
Autumn 2017 |
Stoke Gifford Transport Link opens |
| October 2017 | Stoke Lane work completes |
| Autumn 2017 | MetroBus services start |
Information supplied by MetroBus.
All dates are approximate.
Red text: Changes since publication of our May magazine
This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 11). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to 9,500 homes in Bradley Stoke, Little Stoke and Stoke Lodge. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
