Road users in the Stokes have had to contend with multiple sets of roadworks and diversions across the area since the last week in July, leading some residents to joke that the council is imposing a summer ‘lock in’.
Having grown used to the long-term closure of Gipsy Patch Lane at the railway bridge since March, motorists found another route out of the area barred to them from 27th July when Highways England began a six-week closure of Trench Lane (north Bradley Stoke) for bridge repairs.
Further frustration was caused by the signed diversion for the Trench Lane closure directing traffic via Great Stoke (Rabbit) Roundabout, which was itself closed overnight for resurfacing for three weeks starting 5th August, leading once again to questions about whether our various local councils and other agencies liaise sufficiently with each other to avoid such issues.
Mid-August brought a further complication for those who thought they had sussed out their optimum routes for avoiding the Trench Lane and Great Stoke Roundabout works when Highways England closed Beacon Lane for several nights under the M4 bridge (near the Winter Stream Farm pub/restaurant).
As if this wasn’t enough, letters circulated to stakeholders in early August advised that Orpheus Avenue in Little Stoke and the southern section of Brook Way in Bradley Stoke were to be subject to daytime closures over a four-week period starting 13th August. Readers will recall from an article in our July/August magazine that South Gloucestershire Council had recently allocated £560,000 for this scheme, but there had been no indication of when it might take place.
Work on the scheme began in earnest on Monday 17th August when asphalt milling machines moved onto Orpheus Avenue. As we went to press for this issue, work had not yet progressed beyond Sherbourne’s Brake Roundabout onto Brook Way, along which the work area will extend north across the Braydon Avenue roundabout and up to the Kemperleye Way junction near Christ the King church.
Rather than closing the whole scheme area, SGC has advised that the contractor will close shorter sections of the road between junctions and side roads as work progresses. Traffic management operatives will be on site to assist traffic within the closed areas.
Up next: Pear Tree Roundabout and Hatchet Road
As we went to press, we learned than an area around Pear Tree Roundabout in north Bradley Stoke is to be resurfaced, with work scheduled to start on 15th September and last five or six days.
Cllrs Franklin Owusu-Antwi and Sarah Pomfret (Con, Bradley Stoke North) commented:
“Last year our campaign for Woodlands Lane to be resurfaced saw success and we are delighted this is being further extended, with the stretch between Pear Tree Road Roundabout and Great Park Road now being added. It is a very important road in our community, being an important route for hundreds of homes and businesses, so we are pleased it is being improved further.”
Meanwhile, over in Stoke Gifford, roadworks will start soon on Hatchet Road to upgrade two existing bus stops either side of the Sandringham Road roundabout to become MetroBus-specification stops. Work was programmed to start in August, but has been delayed to September to avoid overlap with other roadworks in the area. Two-way temporary traffic signals will be used as required at off-peak times.
Related link: Roadworks in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)
This article originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on pages 4 & 5). 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: Status of Trench Lane bridge repair works
Added 9th September 2020.
Highways England has informed South Gloucestershire Council that there has been a delay in the works at the Trench Lane bridge and the road closure will now have to stay in place until Monday 19th October 2020.
“The works were originally brought forward to be completed during the summer holidays and prevent disruption to Bowsland Green Primary School. Unfortunately it has not been possible to complete them due to unforeseen repair work needed on the bridge.”
Update: Status of current resurfacing works
Added 9th September 2020.
South Gloucestershire Council has today provided the following updates in response to enquiries from the Journal:
Brook Way / Orpheus Avenue resurfacing
[Advertised as lasting four weeks from 13th August, so should be ending today.]
“The resurfacing work is due to finish by the end of this week. Work on the new road surface is expected to be completed today, with the new road markings on Thursday and Friday (10th & 11th September).”
Great Stoke Roundabout overnight road closures
[Last update on the Streetcare Facebook page gave an end date of 4th September, extended from 28th August.]
“We have one more night’s worth of work left to complete the high-friction surfacing which was delayed due to bad weather. We hope to be able to carry this out on Friday 11th September, subject to weather.”
