12 day closure of a Gloucester bridge could cause "havoc"
The Netheridge Swing Bridge is set to close from Monday 1st September
There are fears a “short-sighted” planned road closure is going to lead to traffic “havoc” for two weeks as children go back to school.
The A430 Secunda Way will be closed at Netheridge Swing Bridge from Monday September 1 to Friday, September 12.
A diversion route will take people via Cole Avenue, Finlay Road, Eastern Avenue, Trier Way and Secunda Way.
And there are concerns people who rely on this route are going to face delays during their daily commute.
County Councillor Rebecca Trimnell (LD), who represents Hempsted and Westgate at Shire Hall, has blasted the works schedule as “short-sighted”.
“I have had several residents come to me about the inconvenience of the timings, which undoubtedly is going to cause havoc in September in terms of commutes to work and school-runs,” she said.
“We all want these repairs to happen, but I do think it’s pretty short-sighted of the County Council in not getting the work scheduling right, which is going to have a massive impact on residents.
“I have emailed the County Council to ask what can be done to mitigate the impact this will have on everyone who relies on this particular route and waiting for a response”.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council has said sorry in advance of the works taking place.
But they say they have been working with the Canal and River Trust to ensure the repairs are completed as soon as possible.
“We apologise for any delays to this work and inconvenience caused to residents in the area, it was necessary for us to halt the work to ensure that it was being carried out to the correct specification.
“The work to repair the bridge is now scheduled to take place between Monday September 1 and Friday September 12, and a diversion will be in place throughout.
“We have been working with the Canal and River Trust to ensure the repairs to the bridge can be completed as soon as possible.
“The Hempsted Pedestrian Bridge is also awaiting repairs. This bridge is the responsibility of the Canal and River Trust, with work scheduled for late September.”
The MP for Gloucester, Alex McIntyre has also been involved in conversations with the council after a number of residents raised their concerns to him.
He says he is “pushing the council to find practical solutions to some of the inevitable problems.”