A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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SteveA30
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

It does seem to be slow progress but, they are in the 'mud' stage and there has been a lot of rain recently.
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RichardEvans67
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by RichardEvans67 »

by Herned » Fri Feb 25, 2022 22:40

Are they slow getting going with this or am I just impatient?
Every scheme seems extremely slow to start with :|.

I suppose there is a lot of work to establish site compounds etc.
Plus building up staffing and equipment levels.
Also lots of diverting all sorts of utilities before they can start really getting stuck into it.
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Norfolktolancashire
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

RichardEvans67 wrote: Sat Mar 05, 2022 06:11
by Herned » Fri Feb 25, 2022 22:40

Are they slow getting going with this or am I just impatient?
Every scheme seems extremely slow to start with :|.

I suppose there is a lot of work to establish site compounds etc.
Plus building up staffing and equipment levels.
Also lots of diverting all sorts of utilities before they can start really getting stuck into it.
Long gone are the days of bulldozers clearing the vegetation along the whole route. I remember well many new schemes having the wooden perimeter fences with just mud in between for miles!
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Norfolktolancashire
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

The A303 was closed last weekend to enable a temporary bridge to be placed in situ

https://fb.watch/dasgJO2QZS/
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hoagy_ytfc
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

Norfolktolancashire wrote: Mon Mar 07, 2022 21:43 Long gone are the days of bulldozers clearing the vegetation along the whole route. I remember well many new schemes having the wooden perimeter fences with just mud in between for miles!
Well they can't really clear the route when so much of it is being built on the line of the current road! The bit being built to the north is the haul road.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

The regular w/bnd queue west of Sparkford, where the S2/1 becomes S2. A bit further up, a drastic change to the landscape. First time the Hazel Grove area has been visible from the services.
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A303 Sparkford.jpg
A303 Mattia 1.jpg
View from a doomed cafe of a doomed garage.
View from a doomed cafe of a doomed garage.
Last edited by SteveA30 on Sun May 29, 2022 21:14, edited 3 times in total.
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Truvelo
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Truvelo »

In the second photo is that a caravan that's been fixed to the cab of a campervan?
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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It seems to be. A Volksavan or a Carawagen perhaps? Probably Newquay bound
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

The work site is now the full length of the route. Trees down everywhere, opening up views not seen for years. A shame that after 5-10 years, the views will be lost again as new plantings take over.
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Glastonbury Tor is once again visible
Glastonbury Tor is once again visible
The new link bridge installed recently
The new link bridge installed recently
Camel Cross now opened up. Old A303 turns left to Ilchester.
Camel Cross now opened up. Old A303 turns left to Ilchester.
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hoagy_ytfc
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

SteveA30 wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 21:19 A shame that after 5-10 years, the views will be lost again as new plantings take over.
Gosh yes, such a shame to see trees rather than roads and cars.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

Cut the sarcy tone. There are too many tree tunnels alongside roads and railways especially. Opening up views does not kill the planet. Keep things in perspective......
Last edited by SteveA30 on Wed Jun 01, 2022 07:07, edited 1 time in total.
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RichardEvans67
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by RichardEvans67 »

by Truvelo » Sun May 29, 2022 21:05

In the second photo is that a caravan that's been fixed to the cab of a campervan?
At 1st I though it must be a weird camera angle. But zooming in, no it is actually like that. Now I'm wondering whether VW actually made a model like that, or whether it's some type of customisation.
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Norfolktolancashire
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Norfolktolancashire »

SteveA30 wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 06:57 Cut the sarcy tone pal. There are too many tree tunnels alongside roads and railways especially. Opening up views does not kill the planet. Keep things in perspective......
I have got to agree, with tens of thousands of road users on this stretch of road there should be some open views for the road user in places. The replacement planting of the trees and shrubs lost due to the construction do not always have to be placed along the new road, sometimes land nearby can be purchased for the planting.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ikcdab »

What is going to become of the baker who put the loaves outside his shop by the A303 at West Camel? He's been doing it ever since I can remember (back to the 1960s), two loaves on a little table by the roadside, and I'm amazed the business is still going. No more passing trade then, guess he'll just now rely on the locals who know him?
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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Saturday July 23 2022, extra, extra, read all about it.....
That would appear to be the height of the new road in the first pic. It crosses over at the top of the hill, then back again about half a mile on.
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Looking east
Looking east
Heading west at Camel Cross, so different now.
Heading west at Camel Cross, so different now.
Works bridge, heading east.
Works bridge, heading east.
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SteveA30
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

Not normally here on a weekday but things are in full swing today. Must be about 30 dumptrucks dotted along the site.
I assume the nesting season ends on July 31 so, tree felling should commence after then.
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The petrol station looks on as its nemesis starts to take shape
The petrol station looks on as its nemesis starts to take shape
The trees in between the lorries are doomed, as the earthworks edge closer.....
The trees in between the lorries are doomed, as the earthworks edge closer.....
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IAN
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by IAN »

SteveA30 wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 21:57 Not normally here on a weekday but things are in full swing today. Must be about 30 dumptrucks dotted along the site.
I assume the nesting season ends on July 31 so, tree felling should commence after then.
My understanding is that vegetation, hedge and tree clearance is banned between 1st March and 31st August unless it can be shown that no nesting birds are present where the clearance is proposed. I’ve seen local examples of house building contractors covering hedges with netting in the autumn to prevent nesting the following spring and therefore clearance can take place during the ‘banned season’ .
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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RichardEvans67
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by RichardEvans67 »

by Phil » Sat Jul 30, 2022 18:01

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/ ... ad-331023/
I was about to post the same thing.

Losing trees is unfortunate, but I assume losing the occasional one is unavoidable. New trees are planted to replace those lost, although obviously they aren't ancient. I expect National Highways manage to avoid a lot of other trees, but you will not read about protesters giving them any credit for that.
SteveA30
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

It looks as if the slip road could pass to the left of the tree but, perhaps there are planning issues involved. I assume this is looking eastwards.
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