Roadworks relief brings drivers cheer at Christmas
RELIEF is on the horizon for city centre drivers this Christmas as major roadworks will be suspended during the festive season.
Motorists in and around the city are experiencing major delays because of roadworks at the bottom end of Broad Street and Holloway Circus.
The city council has now confirmed the restrictions will be lifted on Friday, December 15.
Work will be suspended during the peak pre-Christmas rush until the New Year.
When work resumes in January, it is not expected that there will still be a need to close one lane down all day every day.
The current road works have cut off the bus lane from Bristol Street / Horsefair up to Holloway Circus, forcing three lanes of traffic – including buses and taxes – into one if they are going round the Holloway Circus ‘Pagoda’ traffic island.
Meanwhile, motorists coming down Bath Row are frequently backing up to the Shell garage at Bishopsgate Street near Five Ways at peak times as traffic going down the hill can only enter one lane, including those wanting to turn left up Suffolk Street Queensway.
The roadworks are designed to create a slip road to enable motorists to turn left from Bath Row into Suffolk Street Queensway.
But, although work began in the summer of 2015, it was suspended while services to the neighbouring tower blocks were investigated properly.
The project then began again in September with lanes being closed down during the late morning and early afternoon in between the main rush hours.
The 24/7 lane shutdown was imposed from 6.30am on Monday, November 13.
That was the same day that the new dual lane Paradise Queensway road heading towards the area was also reduced to one lane.
And it came after the one-way system on Hill Street was reversed on October 9, which now means traffic in the Navigation Street area only has two means of escape – and one of those is towards Pagoda Island.
Other roadworks in the city have closed down Paradise Street.
And traffic can no longer drive up or down Broad Street from Bridge Street next to the Hyatt Hotel.
On its website, the city council thanked drivers for their patience and said it was trying to minimise disruption.