Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the M5
Work is starting on Monday on a scheme aimed at preventing major hold-ups at a roundabout serving Cribbs Causeway.
Extra lanes will be added on the northern part of the roundabout below junction 17 of the M5 to increase capacity for shoppers and other drivers.
The area gets jammed up at busy times because of the number of lanes currently provided, and last Christmas contributed to a massive problem when traffic on roads leading to The Mall ground to a halt.
Drivers heading for the out-of-town complex for last-minute shopping were stuck in their cars for hours.
Shop staff working at Cribbs Causeway even had to stay put until the traffic dispersed because they couldn't get out at the end of their shift.
Police and the Highways Agency eventually had to be called in to sort out the problem and get everything moving again.
The changes to be made will take two months to complete and will be finished by the time the main Christmas rush starts for this year.
But they coincide with the resurfacing of the Avonmouth bridge just a few miles down the M5, and meetings are being held between the Highways Agency and South Gloucestershire Council on the timing of the work to prevent problems developing.
The roundabout scheme involves doubling the number of lanes in the affected area from two to four on the roundabout itself and on the approach from the B4055, which brings drivers from Easter Compton, Pilning and Severn Beach. People living in those areas have complained for a long time of hold-ups at peak times because of queues at the roundabout.
The work to be carried out has been planned as a result of meetings between managers at The Mall, the Highways Agency and South Gloucestershire Council officers.
Councillor Brian Allinson, the council's planning and transport chief, said: "We hope it will make road users' journeys a little easier. We aim to complete the works by the middle of November and will make every effort to ensure disruption is minimised.
"There may be some delays for the travelling public and we apologise for any inconvenience."
6 Comments
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by PB, Chippenham
Sunday, September 20 2009, 9:37PM
“No city in the world has solved traffic congestion by building more roads. The extra lanes to be installed at Cribbs wil temporarily ease congestion, which will have the effect of attracting more vehicles (because it's perceived as being less congested) until congestion returns to today's level, only with more vehicles and more pollution.”
by Tar Mac (he's guilty OK), Somerset
Sunday, September 20 2009, 9:23AM
“"they coincide with the resurfacing of the Avonmouth bridge" ????
Isn't the idea of having planners is that they plan? Plan ahead possibly?? Plan to ensure that such major traffic clogging events don't occur at the same time??
A bunch of ten year olds could have planned this better, it's not exactly rocket science.”
by geoff, clifton
Sunday, September 20 2009, 1:53AM
“i agree with mark maybe at the time of building cribbs they should have thought about future road user.now it will cost more to fix a problem that could have being done when built”
by Anthony Kaye, Coombe Dingle
Saturday, September 19 2009, 1:35PM
“If you want a good laugh at the funny side of life you can do a lot worse than the Highways Agency.
When the big expansion of Cribbs was mooted 15 odd years ago, they had an inquiry into it having its own dedicated motorway junction. Cost of said inquiry £20,000+ . They decided against it- a decision which appeared only marginally less hare-brained then than it does now.
Here's another good one. The Humber Bridge Board decided to hold an Inquiry into raising the toll on the bridge. They decided against it-but had to raise the toll anyway to pay for the inquiry-a large five figure sum. I wonder where the money goes on these inquiries Ideas, anyone?
He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches . He who is terminally dim, but wants good pay and a very decent pension goes in for traffic management.”
by Troy, Hong Kong SAR, China
Saturday, September 19 2009, 11:25AM
“It's never safe to go on the M5, or the M4 or the M32 for that matter.”