A further restriction on traffic flow along Gipsy Patch Lane, Little Stoke, is due to come into force on Monday (8th March 2021) with the closure of a section of the westbound carriageway just west of the Little Stoke Lane junction.
The carriageway closure will be in addition to the existing full closure of Gipsy Patch Lane at the railway bridge, which is set to last until July 2021.
A signed diversion route for westbound traffic will be available via Little Stoke Lane, Kingsway, and Gifford Crescent.
Additionally, the eastbound carriageway on Gipsy Patch Lane at the same location will be reduced to a single lane.
The carriageway and lane closures are needed as part of work to upgrade two existing bus stops to MetroBus specification.
Note: A route for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists remains open under the railway bridge.
Background
As part of the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (CPME) scheme, four bus stops along Gipsy Patch Lane are being upgraded to metrobus stops. The bus stops affected are:
- Bush Avenue/Smithcourt Drive bus stop, westbound
- Bush Avenue/Smithcourt Drive bus stop, eastbound
- Rolls-Royce bus stop, eastbound
- Rolls-Royce bus stop, westbound
The upgrades will include extending the bus stop platforms, new paving, replacing existing shelters with new metrobus shelters and the installation of metrobus iPoints and CCTV to monitor the stops. iPoints provide travel information and allow passengers to purchase tickets before they board and plan journeys.
The metrobus stops on the CPME route will be available for use by local bus services.
Upgrade work
The Bush Avenue bus stops located to the east of the railway bridge (the residential side), will be upgraded first. This work will begin in the week commencing Monday 8th March and is expected to last approximately eight weeks.
The initial phase of work will involve extending the bus stop platforms, laying the new paving and installing the electrical connections needed for the iPoints and CCTV.
The Rolls-Royce bus stops will be upgraded later in the construction programme as part of works to the west of the railway bridge.
Traffic management
To enable the upgrades, traffic management is needed along Gipsy Patch Lane.
For work to take place at the eastbound Bush Avenue bus stop, a lane closure will be required. This will reduce the eastbound carriageway on Gipsy Patch Lane to a single lane of traffic.
For work to take place at the westbound Bush Avenue bus stop, a lane closure will also be required. However, this means that the westbound carriageway on Gipsy Patch Lane will be closed to all traffic between its junction with Little Stoke Lane and just before its junction with Smithcourt Drive. No vehicles will be able to travel westbound along this stretch of Gipsy Patch Lane for the duration of these works.
Access to Bush Avenue and Smithcourt Drive will remain open and the pedestrian crossing on Gipsy Patch Lane will be maintained during the works.
A signed diversion route for westbound traffic will be available via Little Stoke Lane, Kingsway, and Gifford Crescent.
The lane closures will start on Monday 8th March and last approximately eight weeks. The closures will need to remain in place around the clock during the works.
Bus service diversions
During the works, the two bus stops affected will be out of service and bus passengers will be directed to use alternative stops.
The number 12 service, operated by Stagecoach, will be diverted during the works. For passengers travelling on the number 12 service towards Severn Beach, buses will divert from Gipsy Patch Lane and travel via Little Stoke Lane and Kingsway before turning at the Kingsway roundabout, where it will resume its normal route.
The number 12 service towards Bristol Parkway railway station will not be diverted and will follow its normal route. However, the southbound Kingsway roundabout bus stop will be suspended and passengers should use the northbound Kingsway roundabout stop (next to the shops) for services in both directions.
iPoints and CCTV
The MetroBus iPoints and the CCTV will not be installed at the bus stops until just before the new MetroBus service begins in 2023.
South Gloucestershire Council says it will write to those living next to bus stops nearer the time to explain how the CCTV will operate. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding the CCTV, please email CommunitySafetyTeam@southglos.gov.uk
More information and related links:
- Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension (SGC)
- MetroBus Extension Build (The Journal)
A complete and utter waste of money