Council confirms one-way reopening of Gipsy Patch Lane “in September”

Gipsy Patch Lane, which has been fully closed to motor vehicles at the railway bridge for 17 months, is to be partially reopened “in September [2021]”, South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has announced.

The road closure, which has been necessary to facilitate replacement of the bridge and lowering of the highway beneath it, commenced on 5th March 2020. It was originally planned to last eight months, but has now been in place for twice that long due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic which necessitated postponement of the bridge replacement operation from April 2020 to November 2020.

Further delays arose due to the new pre-cast bridge getting stuck for several days as it was being moved into position and the need to redesign the drainage system under the bridge after it was realised that the capacity of the proposed pumping station would be inadequate.

Announcing the welcome news, a council spokesperson said:

“We will shortly be able to reopen the road in a westbound direction only (towards the A38) and this one-way system is planned to open in September.”

The council previously stated that the one-way system is necessary to “allow safe and efficient working” during the construction of new bus lanes along Gipsy Patch Lane, on either side of the bridge.

The work to replace the railway bridge and create new bus lanes forms part of the £57 million Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme that will eventually provide a fast and direct bus route between Bristol Parkway Station and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway.

Details of the one-way system

Details of the one-way (westbound only) system that will be implemented are shown in the map below.

View a higher-resolution version of the map (on the SGC website).

Key details of the one-way system include:

• The system will operate between Little Stoke Lane and the mini-roundabout at Rolls-Royce. Traffic will only be able to travel westbound between those points, towards Filton and the A38. The existing signposted diversion route will remain in place for eastbound traffic via the A38, Bradley Stoke Way and Winterbourne Road.
• Businesses at Pegasus Park, such as Tyres Direct, will be accessible and remain open as usual, but traffic entering and exiting will need to follow the one-way system. This means that the junction will be ‘right-in’ and ‘right-out’ only.
• At Horizon 38, Titan Road will be closed, so traffic will need to use Taurus Road.
• Businesses at Gifford Crescent and Stokers public house will also remain open for business as usual. Vehicular access to the shops at Gifford Crescent will be via Kingsway while cars accessing Stokers will do so from Bush Avenue (east).
• For safety reasons, the majority of side roads to the east (Little Stoke side) of the railway bridge that fall within the one-way system will need to be closed to vehicles at their junctions with Gipsy Patch Lane. This will include Station Road, Gifford Crescent, the service road, Smithcourt Drive and Bush Avenue. Vehicular access for residents and businesses will be maintained via diversion routes.
• The Gipsy Patch Lane service road’s junction with Gifford Crescent will be open. The eastern access to Bush Avenue, nearest to Little Stoke Lane, will remain fully open to residents and patrons of the public house. Little Stoke Lane will also remain open.

The one-way system will be in place until the road widening works either side of the bridge have been completed “in late 2022”.

Public drop-in event

To help keep you informed and to explain more about the one-way system, the council is holding a public drop-in event on Wednesday 4th August 2021 from 3pm to 7pm. This will be in the car park of the Stokers public house, Gipsy Patch Lane, Little Stoke, Bristol, BS34 8LU [map].

Attendees are encouraged to walk or cycle to the event if possible, however if you need to drive, please park considerately.

Officers from the council will be available to answer your questions, along with representatives from Network Rail. Everyone is welcome to attend at any time during the drop-in session, and there is no need to book.

The event is outdoors and there will be a small, covered area. If it rains, the event will still go ahead.

In light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, attendees are requested to observe social distancing. Council staff and visitors are encouraged to wear face masks.

The council says it is in the process of arranging a second drop-in event and will publicise further details when they are confirmed.

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Drop-in event panels

UPDATE added 4th August 2021.

The information panels from the drop-in event are now available to view here: https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/CPME-info-boards-July-2021-web.pdf