More delays to work hoping to ease traffic congestion on A444

WORK on the A444 in Nuneaton which was set to end in August has been delayed.

Since the end of January, the A444 into and out of town has been down to one lane as part of works to open up the Bermuda bridge to traffic.

We understand that the planned closure in May to swap lanes has been pushed back until June.

This would be to allow traffic management to move from the outside lane to the inside lane before works continue.

We asked Warwickshire County Council for an explanation behind the delay, and when the overnight closure is now due to take place.

A Shire Hall spokesman said: “Dates for the lane closures have yet to be confirmed, but they will have to be pushed back a little as some further design work on the Vehicle Restraint System is required to be undertaken.”

A vehicle restraint system is more commonly known as safety barriers and these form a crucial part of the works as they will be on both sides of the Bermuda Bridge.

This is not the first time the work has been delayed.

The work was cancelled at the last minute in November and then it had been re-planned at the start of January, only for it to be delayed until the end of that month.

Engineers are working on the bridge that links St George’s Way and Bermuda bridge.

Warwickshire County Council wants this current pedestrian and cycle only bridge to be opened to traffic.

Highways bosses say this will help cut congestion on the A444. But those against the plans say it will cause a rat run through the village and will not solve the issues on the A444. There were huge objections to it and there are still question marks hanging over the length of the work and if there are underlying issues on the bridge.

But the county council is forging ahead as it claims it will help improve links onto the A444 in other parts of the town.