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Blackhorse Lane, Addiscombe is unclassified but quite well used as it is the only link (save for the ends) between the A222 and B143. A weak bridge over the now tram tracks has lead to its closure As seen here. Croydon Council's solution was to put a "We are going to start work on this in January 2018" notice on the closure (some 18 months afterwards) and ban parking on one side of the A215 Spring Lane to try to help flow there.
If you are going to be in the area, particularly at the conclusion of games at Selhurst Park, expect long delays on the A215 Portland Road towards Addiscombe. I'll report again when the route is re-opened.
In other local news, there is now a 20mph limit on all unclassified roads in the Central and East part of the London Borough of Croydon. A lot of this was developed as Edwardian or 1930s terraced houses with no garages and there is a lot of street parking. Accordingly, for the most part it is fair enough. However, without enforcement, you will not stop the usual suspects doing 50 along some of the roads. It's also a shame that they put in the 20 repeaters before the reduction went live and they had unbagged the start of limit signs.
As of last week, work on-site has now started at Salterhebble Hill. When I went by on Friday they were clearing vegetation by the side of the road, and the northbound side was down to one lane.
The only down side is that congestion in both directions was already heavy by 1.30 pm; the Calder and Hebble was jammed solid, with a lengthy tailback onto the bypass, and the jams now last all day instead of just around peak times. If you're planning to travel into Halifax during the week, make sure you pack some sandwiches.
Good - the whole of that south-west bypass should've been dualled in the first place. The way it widens to two lanes for the traffic light before squeezing down to two briefly before the next set, where it widens to two before narrowing again, just asks for trouble.
Many cars don't waste their time with the second lane, but there are always some who use it to move up the queue, and often have to force their way back in!
The almost perpetual roadworks on the A66 between Keswick and Cockermouth have finally came to an end recently. This time they've raised the road a couple of feet in places with the hopes it might not flood again. Also some strengthening of the banking on the old twisty bit of dual carriageway beside Bassenthwaite Lake.
Drove along it on Saturday, it's great to have that overtaking opportunity back
Good - the whole of that south-west bypass should've been dualled in the first place. The way it widens to two lanes for the traffic light before squeezing down to two briefly before the next set, where it widens to two before narrowing again, just asks for trouble.
Many cars don't waste their time with the second lane, but there are always some who use it to move up the queue, and often have to force their way back in!
Hopefully they can sort out this left turn heading south as well, it's so short that people wanting to turn left towards the Quays ends up queuing onto the straight on lane.
I'm surprised they haven't considered dualling Castle Meads Way either as that can often be backed up all the way to the A417 on a bad day.
British & Irish cities driven in - 48/75
England - 36/52, Scotland - 7/7, Wales - 5/6, NI - 0/5, RoI - 0/5
Beardy5632 wrote:
I'm surprised they haven't considered dualling Castle Meads Way either as that can often be backed up all the way to the A417 on a bad day.
The whole thing should be dualled, from the A417 down to the A38. And with a speed limit not lower than 40 throughout. Some of the 30s are unbelievable!
Works on the Heworth Roundabout. The beginning of the lane closure on the A184 westbound between White Mare Pool and the A195 exit resulted in an hour of queues this morning - and it looks like the whole area's going to come to a standstill for the next six months. Not to upgrade the roundabout (which it desperately needs) but just to make the existing bridge supports safe. Oh, and as a big bonus they're going to "remove the central roundabout at this crossing. This is because it is already light controlled and therefore no longer required." Joy.
A £345.3 million funding package to improve local roads and public transport across the country has been announced today (19 October 2017) by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.
76 projects from across the country have been awarded funding totalling £244 million to bring key benefits to local road users - such as improving access to public transport sites, opening up more roads for cyclists, addressing key local traffic ‘pinch points’ and supporting the development of new housing. An additional £101.3 million will pay for 2 new major roads in Middlewich, Cheshire, and Worcester in the Midlands.
See link above for details.
Is this related to the money that the Chancellor mentioned during the Tory party conference?
There's also this statement to parliament, which also mentions the rescheduling of trunk road schemes that I've mentioned in another thread.
lefthandedspanner wrote:As of last week, work on-site has now started at Salterhebble Hill. When I went by on Friday they were clearing vegetation by the side of the road, and the northbound side was down to one lane.
The only down side is that congestion in both directions was already heavy by 1.30 pm; the Calder and Hebble was jammed solid, with a lengthy tailback onto the bypass, and the jams now last all day instead of just around peak times. If you're planning to travel into Halifax during the week, make sure you pack some sandwiches.
Still, it'll be worth it when it's finished.
Three months later, this scheme is fairly cracking on. A large amount of earth has been cleared next to Salterhebble Hill itself in preparation for the widening, and during the last week, the side of the hill has sprouted a large number of what look like the anchors for a retaining wall.
Weather permitting, I'll see if can get some photos over the weekend.
A592 closure, East Bank of Windermere, Jan-Easter 2018
Is this the right thread for this? Not quite a road 'project' as it's utilities work, but interesting perhaps for the duration of closure and distance of signed diversion. The A592 is closed for a stretch south of the B5360 from 2nd Jan until Easter, effectively shutting it as a through route from there to the A590 at Newby Bridge. The signed diversion is via the A590/A591, at just over 30 miles and 45 minutes. It's much shorter to use the A5074 or the Windermere Ferry but neither are actually much quicker than the signed route!
At least it's being done out of season. Although when I visited in November I couldn't believe the coachloads of Japanese/Chinese and Russian tourists that were there. Also wonder why the road has to be shut when the rest of the work has been done under lights?
When I drove through the 10mph limit was accompanied by massive speed camera signs...no evidence of any actual enforcement.
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darkcape wrote:At least it's being done out of season. Although when I visited in November I couldn't believe the coachloads of Japanese/Chinese and Russian tourists that were there. Also wonder why the road has to be shut when the rest of the work has been done under lights?
When I drove through the 10mph limit was accompanied by massive speed camera signs...no evidence of any actual enforcement.
I've never seen in a single fixed camera in a 20 zone - is there any kind of speed camera that works reliably for speeds under 30 mph?
lefthandedspanner wrote:I've never seen in a single fixed camera in a 20 zone - is there any kind of speed camera that works reliably for speeds under 30 mph?
Sue Hayman, the Workington MP, has brought up a local favourite of a relief road for south Workington. Being stuck at yet more temporary traffic lights and being stuck behind a bus for 2 miles yesterday, the A597 struggles to cope and is nearly as busy as the A596, and seems to have roadworks and TTLs nearly every week.
