Some while back, fbb was reporting on the shambles of road works to the north of Bristol and their disastrous effect on the bus services, creating delays of between 40 minutes and an hour at peak times! A third disruption site joins the fray from tomorrow.
The B4057 (ORANGE) joins the good old Gloucester Road (RED) in the west with the spine road of the Bradley Stoke development (YELLOW) in the east. It passes near Patchway Station (RED blob) and under the main railway line via the Severn Tunnel to South Wales. The eastern half is called Winterbourne Road and the western section is Gipsy Patch Lane.
It's the railway bridge wot dun it!
Starting tomorrow it is being completely rebuilt and the road widened to accommodate, amongst others, another leg of Bristol's prestigious (?) and very costly Metrobus network. In order to accomplish this bit of mega civil engineering the road is being closed completely and utterly at this point for EIGHT MONTHS.
By comparison, the railway OVER the bridge will be closed for a modest NINE DAYS over an extended Easter period.
No bus services use the bridge but Stagecoach's 625 from Severn Beach to UWE just grazes the superstructure.
The time point Little Stoke Kingsway Roundabout ...
... is the stop by the bridge, near the Post Office and close by The Stokers pub.
For the record, here is the full route of the 625 - which looks like fun!
What isn't immediately obvious from all the above is that Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed at this point to PEDESTRIANS as well as road traffic.
Closing a pedestrian route has huge legal implications and a diversion MUST be provided however many or few may wish to use it. Any footpath route is a long, long way round! (Gipsy Patch lane runs across the centre of Google's aerial view). The railway forms an impenetrable barrier.
You might try the footbridge at Patchway Station ...
... and there is a new one now, with lifts!
But the west side exit looks decidedly dodgy and somewhat unofficial, so that idea is a non starter.
Network Rail will, from tomorrow, be running a bus!
They don't tell us which way it will go, or how long it will take - probably wise in view of the proliferation of holds-up - but the link will be on offer 24/7.
Frequency?
And the timetable?
And there's more!
Cost?
Bikes on the bus? Hmmm.
And, you may ask, what will happen to cars etc. The official signposted route is North on the Gloucester Road (RED) to Aztec West and back south via the Bradley Stoke spine road (YELLOW).
fbb and Paul (Bristol correspondent who kindly supplied the info for this blog - Thanks!) reckons the vote will be for SOUTH down the Gloucester Road, via the A 4174 (RED) and North ...
... passing our old friend Harry Stoke.
Whichever way you go -
ENJOY THE QUEUES - ENJOY THE ROAD WORKS.
And a brief PS to the Sheffield Diversion as previously reported.
Sheffield correspondent Roy undertook a mystery shopper exercise today.
Went into both The Interchange and Arundel Gatet to ask the same question
I am catching a 120 to Fulwood and understand there’s a diversion. What’s happening please?
Interchange reply
First I’ve heard, let me have a look.
then answered phone while I waited
came off phone to say:-
can’t find anything,
no diversion normal route
Arundel Gate reply
They found the stuff and read it out
Appalling service from the Interchange
And where, pray were the leaflets, with map and 120S timetable?
All together now ...
IT'S ALL ON-LINE
Next Roadworks blog : Thursday 5th March
Bus services will be indirectly affected as Stagedoach's depot is immediately west of the railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane.
ReplyDeleteIts an eeemurjuncy guv appears to be the standard attitude from services etc in this area, and County Council just seem to let them do it. Yes that will sometimes be the case but this has caused havoc in rural area to south west of Maidstone for most of last three years. Lack of alternative roads able to take buses has left sections of route un-served. On many occasions the first the bus operator knows about problem is when bus driver reaches a road closed sign.
ReplyDeleteWatching the Nu Venture feed on its web site on most days this has been an all too regular occurrence.