Work has started on a £3.7million project to improve the flood resilience of key roads in South Gloucestershire.
We are upgrading drainage infrastructure at seven locations to help prevent future flooding, improving the road network for local communities and the traveling public.
This flood resilience work is being carried out after we successfully secured £3.2million from the Government, under the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Local Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund scheme. We are additionally contributing a further £500,000 to the scheme from our existing maintenance budgets.
The roads included in the scheme have been identified as having an issue with flooding during extreme weather. The work will also reduce the need for reactive maintenance works and ultimately result in a cost saving for the Council.
The roads where work is being carried out includes:
• Gipsy Patch Lane, Filton
• Perrinpit Road/Old Gloucester Road, Frampton Cotterell
• Coldharbour Lane, Filton
• B4058 Bristol Road, Frenchay
• B4509 The Downs, Wickwar
• B4058/B4059 Yate Road, Iron Acton
• Stover Road at Frome bridge, Yate.
Drainage repair work has already been completed on Gipsy Patch Lane, Filton, where we have repaired a culvert close to the road’s junction with the A38.
Later this month work will start on the B4058 Bristol Road in Frenchay, where we will be repairing and replacing some of the existing highway drainage system.
The work in Frenchay will be split into two phases. The first phase of work will start the week commencing Monday 22 March and will take approximately two weeks. This phase will be carried out under temporary traffic lights, which will only be used during the day and removed at night. There may be times when the lights have to remain in place around the clock but we will try to keep this to a minimum.
The second phase of work, which will involve replacing drainage pipes, will start from Tuesday 6 April and will take approximately four weeks. This phase will require a combination of temporary traffic lights and a complete road closure. Temporary traffic lights will need to remain in place around the clock during this phase for safety reasons.
When we need to close the B4058 Bristol Road it will be closed from the mini roundabout at the junction with Begbrook Park to beyond the junction with Old Gloucester Road. During the road closure, there will be a signed diversion route in operation but access to properties will be maintained.
These dates and timeframes may be subject to change and we will keep the local community up to date.
Work is expected to start on the other sites later in the spring and we will continue to keep the local communities informed.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environment and Strategic Infrastructure, Cllr Steve Reade said: “We welcome this additional funding from Government and have made a further, significant contribution to help future proof our road network so we can better cope with environmental changes and keep people moving on our roads.
“These sites are key routes within South Gloucestershire and being able to resolve long-standing issues with flooding will benefit all road users, as well as save the council money by reducing the need to carry out repair work.
“It is great to see the work has already started on repairing these roads which are known for flooding during extreme weather. Getting on with this vital repair work means our roads will be better prepared as we head into next winter.”
As part of the project, work will also be carried out at the New Avon Bridge on Keynsham Road in Willsbridge. Where we will investigate whether the bridge is likely to be at risk of damage due to scour and impact from water borne debris.
For more information, visit www.southglos.gov.uk/floodresilience
