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www.stokegiffordjournal.co.uk
t: 01454 300 400
December 2018
News ‘MetroBus 2’: Councillors push for early formation of Gipsy Patch Lane works liaison group Contact Us
Public meeting hears residents’ concerns over 2-year scheme to replace railway bridge and create bus lanes
Editor: Stephen Horton info@stokegiffordjournal.co.uk 01454 300 400 83 Snowberry Close Bradley Stoke Bristol BS32 8GB
Local reporter: Laura Mortimore (Covering Stoke Gifford Parish) Find us on Facebook: StokeGiffordJournal Follow us on Twitter: @TheSGJournal
About the Stoke Gifford Journal The Stoke Gifford Journal website and magazine are published by North Bristol Press, a trading name of Snowberry Media Ltd; company number 8451178 (registered in England and Wales); registered office: 7 Chelford Grove, Stoke Lodge, Bristol BS34 6DD. Our other publications include the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine & website, the Patchway Journal website and the Filton Journal website. North Bristol Press is independent of any other media company or network operating in the Bristol area. We accept no responsibility for anything stated by advertisers, who are themselves responsible for complying with all relevant legislation. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or article author. © North Bristol Press 2018. Content published in our magazines or on our websites may not be reproduced in any form without our express written permission.
Standing room only at the packed public meeting on 19th November
L
ocal councillors concerned about the impact of a twoyear programme of work to replace the railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane have called for a residents’ liaison group to be set up as soon as January 2019, despite Network Rail having yet to appoint a contractor for the project. A packed public meeting held in Little Stoke Community Hall on 19th November, attended by around 100 local residents, heard two officers from South Gloucestershire Council present an overview of the planned work, which they said would require an anticipated eight-month full closure of the road in the vicinity the bridge during 2020. Wider works east and west of the bridge, to create new bus lanes for the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension scheme (CPME), will require road closures in one direction only, or the use temporary traffic lights. To minimise disruption, a site compound will be created on a parcel of land within the Horizon 38 development (former RollsRoyce East Works site). The replacement bridge will be precast here and manoeuvred into position during a 12-day closure of the railway currently planned for Easter 2020. The bridge replacement and
directly associated highway work is being undertaken by Network Rail (NR). The procurement process for a contractor is ongoing by Network Rail, with a contractor expected to be confirmed in early 2019. The other (highway) works, away from the bridge, will be done in-house by SGC’s Streetcare division, with possible subcontracting of small elements. Officers stated that while there is likely to be traffic disruption during 2019, the greatest disruption for road users is likely to be in 2020 and 2021. Vehicle diversion routes will be planned in advance and well signed and advertised. This will include “diverting as much through traffic as possible away from the area”. It is anticipated that a shuttle bus will be provided to mitigate the impact on non-motorised users and it was stated that the possibility of providing a pedestrian and cycle link via the railway bridge linking Little Stoke Park with the Rolls-Royce site is being investigated. Residents at the meeting expressed concern at the prospect of increased traffic along Little Stoke Lane, particularly in the vicinity of Little Stoke Primary School but also passing close to three other primary
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