Measures to help free-up traffic flows and improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists at Windsor Bridge junction will be carried out by Bath & North East Somerset Council from 8 July for up to 14 weeks.
Pedestrians using Windsor Bridge Road and Brook Road currently have no crossing facility and must wait for a gap in traffic. Improvements are planned to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, while other alterations will ensure that the junction works as efficiently as possible.
- All pedestrian crossing points on Windsor Bridge Road and Brook Road will now be signalised using an upgraded arrangement. The pedestrian controls will be synchronised with the main signals, to ensure there is no negative impact on traffic flow.
- Drop kerbs and tactile paving will be used at all crossing points, to assist pedestrians who have mobility issues or impaired visibility and extra space for cyclists will be added with ‘Advanced Stop Lines’ at each entry to the junction.
- The kerb line will be re-aligned and new lane markings added to enable three dedicated lanes inbound on Lower Bristol Road. Combined with reconfigured traffic islands, this will help large vehicles to turn and avoid ‘blocking’ of adjacent lanes
Delays to traffic will be minimised, through use of night working where possible. As a result, Windsor Bridge will be closed to vehicles overnight for a number of weeks during construction. Advance signage on key approaches will notify motorists of the closure and enable alternative routes to be used.
Councillor Caroline Roberts (Lib-Dem, Newbridge), Cabinet Member for Transport, said, “Bath & North East Somerset Council is taking action to improve facilities at this junction for people on bicycles or on foot crossing the road. Other changes will help to free-up traffic. Using the latest technology also means that these traffic signals will have a longer life span and require less maintenance, reducing future disruption and maintenance costs.”
“Steps are being taken to ensure disruption caused by the work is kept to a minimum. Working during the night as well as the day for example, so that the effect on vehicle flows is reduced, particularly during peak periods. We thank people for their patience whilst the work takes place.”
The works are part of the £27 million Bath Transportation Package which is upgrading the city’s transport system to tackle congestion and provide the infrastructure necessary to support new homes and jobs.
Work is well underway on other aspects of the Bath Transportation Package. Improvements to the London Road Morrisons junction were successfully completed earlier this year. Installation of state-of-the-art traffic electronic messaging signs around the outskirts and within Bath to provide better travel information for drivers entering the city is taking place, as are on-going improvements to bus stops on ten showcase bus routes.
People can find out more at www.bathnes.gov.uk/btp or if they have questions about the junction works email councilconnect@bathnes.gov.uk or call 01225 39 40 41.
