MOTORISTS in Yate are facing the prospect of more delays and diversions as a second bridge is closed to traffic.
This time the bridge which will be shut is in the middle of the town, on Station Road between Lye Field Park and the Riverside Retail Park.
South Gloucestershire Council says the stretch of Station Road which passes over the bridge (pictured above) will be closed day and night for two weeks, from Monday August 14, so that “essential repairs” can be carried out on the stone arch bridge (below), next to the roundabout junction with Link Road and Goose Green Way..
The council said: “The majority of the work will be underneath the bridge, which carries traffic over the River Frome, so it will not always be obvious what work is going on.
“The work has been scheduled to take place during the school summer holidays to minimise disruption, as traffic flow during this period is lighter.”
The council’s official diversion route between the Yate and Chipping Sodbury ends of Station Road is via Link Road past Tesco, Kennedy Way, Cotswold Road, Horse Street and Chipping Sodbury High Street.
The closure comes as traffic between Yate and Bristol continues to be diverted away from the bridge over the M4 on the A432 Badminton Road, which has been closed indefinitely for inspection of cracks in the concrete structure.
While the official National Highways diversion is an eight-mile detour via Westerleigh Road, the A46 and A420, the council has introduced a series of measures on other roads between Westerleigh Road, Coalpit Heath and Yate after small lanes in the area were deluged with traffic.
Work is starting on Monday to improve the Henfield Road/Westerleigh Road junction, where council Streetcare teams will be replace the current temporary lights with “more efficient” regular traffic lights.
The council said: “Work will last approximately three weeks and will mean Henfield Road will be closed overnight from 8pm to 6am for the first week.
“The new traffic lights will go live before Monday September 4 to help alleviate the increased traffic flows expected when children return to school.
“The new traffic lights will be removed when the A432 reopens.”
National Highways is also encouraging all traffic to use the A420 and A46 for Yate from the Hicks Gate direction on the A4174, and motorway users to use the M4 junction 18 for Yate, rather than the M32 and A4174.
At the end of July the council closed Coalsack Lane, Ruffet Road and Cooks Lane to through traffic, with access maintained for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, and to homes and business premises along the three roads.