End now in sight for city centre roadworks

LONG-DELAYED roadworks that have cost more than £6 million than originally budgeted are finally due to be finished by the end of next month.

But Bristol City Council has already warned that some digging may continue into November.

The authority said the Temple Circus roadworks project is currently scheduled to finish on October 31 – nearly two and a half years after work began.

It has, though, warned some work may carry on into

November as a number of the remaining elements involve excavations around existing services or are weather dependent and so susceptible to delay.

Work to correct defects will be scheduled for later in the year.

The roadworks were already supposed to be finished, but the project suffered a major setback last year when it was revealed that the works, which have removed the former Temple Circus gyratory roundabout , would be delayed by nine months.

The delay was caused by three factors: the discovery of a Victorian cellar underneath the old roundabout, the discovery of uncharted utility pipes and difficulties installing new heat network pipes.

The cost of the project – now set to be around £17.1 million – has also increased by £6 million since the initial planning began.

But before the project is complete another two weeks of overnight roadworks is set to take place from this Monday.

The closures will allow for anti-skid road surfacing to be installed at junctions and on bus lanes around Temple Gate.

To help minimise disruption, the work is scheduled to take place overnight, with shifts planned from 8pm to 6am, Monday to Friday, until October 12.

The work is weather dependent so the current programme is subject to change.

Kye Dudd, cabinet member for transport, said: “We recognise that this next stage of work will cause further disruption to businesses and residents in the area. We continue to thank them for their patience as the final elements are completed on this complex project.

“We are speaking to local businesses that are open in the evenings to ensure disruption is minimised so that they can operate as usual.

“Safety must be paramount in this busy area and the anti-skid road treatment ensures we follow best practice where safety is concerned.”

The HFS installation comes after the completion of the wider resurfacing programme to furnish the final road layout with new surface and lining.