Gipsy Patch Lane will close for approximately eight months from the beginning of March to enable the railway bridge replacement works, as part of the Cribbs Patchway metrobus extension (CPME).
The road will be closed to all road users at the railway bridge from Thursday 5 March. Access to properties along Gipsy Patch Lane will be maintained and all shops and businesses on and near Gipsy Patch Lane will be open as normal.
This closure is needed so a new wider railway bridge can be moved into place and for the associated roadworks to be completed. The new railway bridge requires extensive engineering works, including the demolition of the existing railway bridge and lowering the road to conform to national design standards for headroom under bridges.
The new wider bridge will provide room for new bus lanes in each direction and shared use cycle and pedestrian pathways, as well as general traffic lanes. The current bridge creates a traffic bottleneck causing queues on Gipsy Patch Lane. The new bridge will relieve this pinch point, allowing for reliable bus journey times, as well as providing improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and private vehicles.
Network Rail and its contractor Alun Griffiths will be working towards re-opening a route for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists beneath the new bridge as soon as possible. We will update the wider community when this information is available.
Cabinet Member for Transport Cllr Steve Reade said: “We are investing £160 million over four years to reduce congestion and emissions, improve cycling and pedestrian routes, facilitate faster bus journeys and future proof our road network.
“The Cribbs Patchway metrobus extension is an important part of our ambitions to keep South Gloucestershire moving now and in years to come. We need to get our road network ready for the major new housing and business developments that are planned for the area and make sustainable travel options a more attractive choice.
“For some months we have been working with businesses, commuters and residents in the area providing advice and information on alternative travel options they may like to consider during the closure such as public transport, cycling and walking.
“We know Gipsy Patch Lane and the wider road network are already busy and we are working to reduce any disruption caused by this road closure. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by these ongoing roadworks and would like to thank residents and road users for their patience and understanding whilst this essential work takes place.”
Diversion route
There will be a signed diversion route throughout the closure. This diversion route will take motorists via Bradley Stoke Way and the A38.
Additional signs will also be placed on the wider road network informing motorists of the Gipsy Patch Lane closure and advising them to use alternative routes such as using the motorway network rather than local roads.
A number of pedestrian and cycling diversion routes will also be available. More information on these can be found on our project website www.southglos.gov.uk/cpmetrobus
Shuttle bus
During the closure of Gipsy Patch Lane, Network Rail will operate a shuttle bus for pedestrians needing access either side of the bridge. The shuttle bus will start operation on Thursday 5 March and will run weekdays, weekends and will also be available overnight.
This service will be free of charge and will operate for the duration of time the railway bridge is closed to pedestrians.
Further information will be provided in advance of the closure.
Rail line closure
To enable the new bridge to be moved into place the railway will need to be closed between Saturday 11 April and Sunday 19 April. During this time, train services between Bristol and South Wales will be amended, with buses replacing trains between Bristol Parkway and Newport. Some trains will be diverted adding extra time to journeys, while others will stop short of their usual final destination.
Further information will be available soon. Please check before you travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.GWR.com/Bristol
Station Road junction closure
Station Road will also need to be closed to all vehicles at its junction with Gipsy Patch Lane from Thursday 5 March for approximately eight months. The closure will enable Gipsy Patch Lane to be excavated down to the required new carriageway level, for new utilities and new drainage infrastructure to be installed and for the Station Road junction to be excavated down to tie-in with Gipsy Patch Lane.
A diversion route for vehicles, to reach Station Road via Clay Lane and Little Stoke Lane, will be in operation and will be fully signposted throughout the junction closure. Please be aware that access to businesses to the southern end of Station Road is restricted by a footbridge with a height restriction of 4.2 metres.
Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to access Station Road via Gipsy Patch Lane during the closure.
All businesses on and near Station Road, including Patchway Train Station and the Sort It Centre, will be open as normal.
CPME
CPME is an extension of the metrobus network already in operation and will provide a direct link between Bristol Parkway railway station and The Mall bus station, via the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood on the former Filton Airfield.
The £57 million project includes replacing the railway bridge over Gipsy Patch Lane with a new wider bridge as well as footway widening and new bus lanes along other sections of Gipsy Patch Lane. This will result in significant benefits for everyone, whether you travel by bus, car, cycle or on foot.
Work is also being carried out at the San Andreas roundabout, Cribbs Causeway, where a new bus only road link will be added and the roundabout will become signal controlled. San Andreas roundabout is at the junction of Hayes Way and Highwood Road with Merlin Road. On Hatchet Road we will be upgrading two bus stops to metrobus stops.
Further information
Dates and timeframes may be subject to further change and we will continue to keep the community up to date via social media and our website. Any updates will be posted on social media via www.facebook.com/sgloscpme and the project webpage at www.southglos.gov.uk/cpmetrobus
