LED lights coming to Church Road

The concrete lighting columns in Church Road are due for replacement. In addition to this their overhead cables and locations do not meet current design standards. This means Council Officers have decided to take the opportunity of redesigning the layout and converting the lights to LED ahead of the rest of Frampton Cotterell which is scheduled for 2018. LED lights are the energy efficient more focused lights, already installed along Badminton Road. Officers have calculated that there will be a 76% reduction in energy use and therefore cost.

Church Road bridge wins award

The new Church Road bridge has picked up a Prime Minister's Better Building Award in the category of Civil Engineering Project of the Year (up to £10m).

The new bridge is one of the first in the UK to be made from layers of glass and carbon fibres bound together with a tough resin in a process more commonly seen in advanced passenger aircraft manufacturing. The materials used are resistant to frost, extreme temperatures and de-icing salts that can cause problems in steel and concrete bridges, and require no painting or waterproofing. It is estimated that this could reduce the bridge’s maintenance costs by up to 35 per cent over its 120-year lifetime. It also needed less time to install than a conventional bridge.

Have your say on Church Road safety improvements

When we reported back in March that the Frome Vale Area Forum had selected the first phase of the Church Road safety proposals for funding, we said there would be further consultation. That consultation is now underway. You can view the proposals and make comments at:

https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/consult.ti/ChurchRdDKs/consultationHome

The deadline for comments is 31st July.

Church Road bridge latest

Unfortunately the council is still waiting for BT to remove their last cables from the temporary bridge. Once they have done that council workers can take that structure down and tidy up the verges and the river bank. At that time they will also sort out the copings and a couple of other minor snagging items like the mastic seals in the parapet walls. Officers will continue to push BT for a date for them to complete.

Tonight (Thursday 2nd April) officers are due to carry out a load test on the bridge, starting at 10pm to minimise traffic disruption. The purpose of the load test is to gather performance data to compare with predicted structural performance. The University of Bristol want the information for their academic research which will then eventually feedback in to the industry and help promote the use of these Fibre Reinforced Polymer structures.

The test is not being carried out because officers have any concerns over the bridge.

The test will be carried out under traffic signals but there may be some delays to motorists for a few minutes while lorries run slowly across the bridge and the strain gauges, accelerometers and deflection sensors collect the data.

Action on road safety

Last week's Frome Vale Area Forum saw local councillors winning support for a number of highway safety schemes in our area:

• In Tytherington, an existing school bus stop point will be moved, dropped kerbs south of the lay-by improved and a coloured road surface introduced to highlight the crossing point. The scheme will also provide a new crossing point at the Stowell Hill/New Rd junction and a small area of coloured
  road surfacing and the existing pavement will be extended from its current end in New Rd to Stowell Hill. Contact Howard Gawler if you have any questions.
• The first phase of the Church Road proposals will be implemented. There will first be further consultation, taking into account suggestions from residents during the previous informal consultation period. Contact Pat and Dave Hockey for more information.
• The second phase of traffic calming proposals for the rural part of Henfield Road, around the sharp bend at the junction with Ram Hill, will go ahead. Monitoring last year showed a significant number of vehicles were travelling well in excess of the 30mph speed limit, despite it being a blind bend with a junction on it. There will be further consultation on the proposals before implementation. Contact Claire Young to find out more.
• Further traffic calming measures will be investigated on Westerleigh Road between the railway bridge and Broad Lane and on Shorthill Road after complaints from residents about some of the measures implemented so far. The outcome of the investigation will be a set of proposals for consideration for funding next year. Again, contact Claire Young for more info.

Claire also highlighted the results of her survey on a 20mph limit around the Manor School, in an effort to get it prioritised in the roll-out of 20mph limits to schools that don’t currently have them.

Church Road traffic scheme - still time to have your say

Your Focus Team was delighted that so many people came to the Brockeridge Centre on 4th February to view the first ideas on traffic calming measures for Church Road and to give their comments on them.

Don't worry if you were unable to make it, there is still a chance to have your say. We've asked the officers for electronic copies of the plans and feedback form:

• Phase A plans
• Phase B plans
• Feedback form

Please return to the feedback form to Pat and Dave Hockey by 18th February.

After the responses have been analysed, Pat and Dave will decide whether to support the funding bid for formal consultation on a revised scheme taking account of possible improvements suggested by local residents. A decision will be made on the funding bid at the Frome Vale Area Forum which starts at 7pm at Shire Way Community Centre on Thursday 5th March.

Reducing traffic speeds on Church Road

A draft two-phased scheme designed to keep traffic to a reasonable speed on Church Road has been drawn up by South Glos highways officers. Church Road residents should have been sent a copy in the summer.

Phase 1 would introduce:

• dropped kerbs, tactile paving and keep clear markings at the Church Close and Ryecroft Road junctions
• a crossing point to Frampton End Road near the shops created by build outs narrowing the road to 6.2m with a coloured surface
• a similar crossing point beside the school playing field and a pavement to the new Jubilee Allotments.

Phase 2 would introduce:

• speed tables near the Conifer Close and School Road junctions.

At the Frome Vale Area Forum on 5th March, South Glos Councillors will be deciding which traffic schemes will be given priority for funding from our allocation of £100,000. Frampton Cotterell ward councillors Pat and Dave Hockey would like to hear people's views ahead of the Area Fourm. They have therefore arranged to have the plans on display at a drop-in session at the Brockeridge Centre on 4th February from 5pm until 7pm.

STOP PRESS - Church Road lights removed

The resurfacing and road markings on the new Church Road bridge have now been completed and the traffic lights removed just before 6pm this evening. Pedestrian facilities will be reinstated in the next couple of days.

Church Road bridge update

Residents will be delighted to know that work on the demolition and replacement of the bridge is due to complete on target by 30 November ready for reopening to 2 way traffic on Monday 1 December.

The seven utility companies have taken turns to divert their services from bypassing the bridge to going over it following the closure over the school summer holidays. The pavements are now being reconstructed prior to the final surface being laid for the road and white lining replaced.

Thankfully the  new composite bridge deck has a 120 year life.

Update on lights on Church Road

Council Officers have been checking and observing the situation with the Church Road bridge traffic signals. There is no fault on the sensors. They are still of the view that the problems have occurred when heavy traffic is accompanied by a vehicle crossing on red. The sensor then reacts by going into "safe mode" which reduces the the green time on the following cycles.
 

If after monitoring the situation this evening they believe the problem will continue they will be switching the signals to manual during peak periods on Monday.

Church Road bridge latest

We are aware there has been a traffic light problem on the bridge works on Church Road. Pat Hockey is investigating.

The road works have been extremely frustrating for local people. We've made sure officers are aware of this and they have given us an update on the schedule. They are currently planning for the footways and carriageways to be completely reinstated and final surfacing complete by the 30th November 2014.

Some people have commented that they are not seeing much work happening. Officers say they are coordinating a complicated set of third party activities, tying in with the utility company programmes, so there may be periods where it would appear nothing is happening. South Glos are also working on the site but not always in the sight lines of other road users. It is to everyone’s advantage to get the job completed and for the council to get off site as delays mean cost.

Church Road bridge on track

The Church Road bridge works are currently on track to be completed by the end of November. Most of the council works are completed and the various utility companies now need to re-divert all their apparatus before the footways and road can be resurfaced.

Ancient and Modern in Harmony

The plans for the demolition and replacement of Church Road bridge were first discussed about 3 years ago soon after the weight limit had been reduced due to the corrosion of the steel reinforcements under the bridge deck.

Cllrs Pat and Dave Hockey insisted right from the start that when the parapets were taken down the stones must be stored and reused to rebuild them.

The Frampton Cotterell councillors said, "We know how strongly local residents feel about loss of local pennant stone walls and the need to retain them. When we consulted widely across Frampton Cotterell and Coalpit Heath to enable the Village Design Statement to be put together, it was clear that residents treasure the local cottages, houses, schools, hat factories and boundary walls that are built using local stone."

"We are delighted that the new, high tech composite bridge deck will be enclosed between parapets rebuilt with the original local stone. When work on the bridge is completed later this year it will look the same as it did before the bridge was demolished. This is especially important as the bridge is close to the Grade 2* listed Saint Peters Church.”

The photo shows Lee Hodge from Streetcare working on the reconstruction of one of the stone parapets on Church Road bridge.

Church Road opens on time

Church Road reopened to through traffic Sunday night following the bridge installation on 24th August. Well done to the team for getting it open in time for the new school term. All the bus services have reverted to their normal routes.  Temporary traffic lights will be in place while final works are carried out to redivert utility cables and complete the bridge parapets. It’s anticipated that the bridge will reopen fully in late November.

South Glos has also started reinstating the street lights on the pedestrian refuges on Badminton Road, which were removed so the bridge could be brought through. The 30 repeater signs that were attached to them won't be going back as they are no longer lawful signage.

News flash - Church Road to reopen Sunday night

We've been informed this afternoon that Church Road is to reopen on Sunday night.

All the civil engineering work has been completed today. The road surface is temporary until the various utility companies have re-diverted their apparatus, following which the final surface course will be laid (which will also take into account surrounding defective areas).

Temporary vehicle restraint barriers and 3-way lights shall be installed on Sunday night, at which point the road can then be re-opened, estimated to be around midnight. The vehicle messaging signs will automatically update to say "Church Road now open" at midnight.

All ready for the new school term on Monday - well done to all involved.

New bridge deck successfully installed

On Sunday the new Church Road bridge deck was on site by 7am, earlier in the day than expected, and installed soon afterwards. You can go back through the photos taken by the time lapse camera at https://m.lobstervision.tv/framptoncotterell#projects.

Work continued through Sunday and Monday fixing the dowels at the bridge ends into place and setting up for the kerb installation over the bridge.

This week they will be finishing grouting the ends of the bridge in place (which is taking a little bit longer than anticipated), surfacing the bridge deck, laying kerbs and installing temporary barriers. The anticipated date when the bridge will be open for use to traffic with three way traffic signals in place is Thursday 4th September.

The street lights on the pedestrian refuges along Badminton Road were removed to allow the wide load to pass on Sunday morning. Initially officers were only planning to reinstate two of them, but after ward councillor Claire Young took up residents' concerns they agreed they would all be reinstated in the next couple of weeks.

New bridge to arrive on Sunday

The existing Church Road bridge deck has been demolished and the abutments have been prepared ready to receive the new bridge deck which will be craned into position.

The new bridge deck is made from Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) which has been selected because of its light weight and high performance. These advantages have enabled the new bridge deck to be constructed off-site in factory conditions with final assembly at the National Composites Centre at Emersons Green. This has cut the time that the road has needed to be closed for the installation.

The new bridge deck will be transported to Church Road with a police escort on Sunday 24th August 2014, between the hours of 4am and 12 noon. It will be coming via the A4174 Avon Ring Road, A432 Badminton Road and Church Road. It will be an extremely wide load, almost 9m wide, therefore in order to travel safely the roads along the route will have to be kept completely clear of all parked vehicles during that time. No waiting cones will be placed along the permitted route and any vehicles contravening these will be subject to enforcement action.

The actual lifting of the bridge is expected to happen at around 2pm.

The road will be reopened to traffic from early September, with a three-way traffic light system in place until November so the bridge's original masonary parapets can be rebuilt, utilities reinstalled and the road surfaced.

Sunday morning update: The new bridge has already arrived and been lowered into place, earlier in the day than expected. You can go back through the photos taken by the time lapse camera at https://m.lobstervision.tv/framptoncotterell#projects.

Consultation failure on Church Road scheme

Your Focus team was horrified to discover that a "signing and lining" scheme including a new cycle path had been implemented on Church Road this week without any consultation with residents.

Earlier this year Dave and Pat Hockey raised concerns with officers when plans for the scheme arrived out of the blue, with the implication that it was already decided and going ahead. Dave and Pat made it clear that it would be totally inappropriate for it to go ahead without full consultation. Any plans also needed to be compatible with a traffic calming scheme for Church Road that had been investigated by another officer and was on the list for funding in the future.

However, without any warning or any assurances that the two schemes were compatible, the lining scheme went ahead this week. Pat went down on Thursday to see the problem for herself and talk to the residents affected. An officer has now apologised saying:

...our consultation framework shows that for minor signing and lining schemes of this nature, at the very least, information letters should be sent to frontagers 2 weeks before the works are carried out. Therefore I agree that the consultation that was carried out falls short of our own standards and I can only apologise for this error.

The officer goes on to explain:

The scheme involves offsetting the centreline by installing a cycle lane in order to take out the straight line that tends to encourage speeding. It also includes installation of a vehicle activated speedvisor sign and removal of the illegal 30mph roundels that had been painted onto the surface of the road. Other elements include 3 junction warning signs, 2 direction signs and installation of 2 bus stop markings.

We can assure local people that:

• there are no plans to raise the speed limit on Church Road 
• although the 13T structural weight limit on the bridge will be removed when its replacement is in place, the 7.5T environmental weight limit on the whole of Church Road will remain in place
• this is a "signing and lining" scheme, not the full traffic calming scheme that is still awaiting funding - there will be a full consultation on that when it is funded

The officer has now agreed to send a letter of apology to residents and seek their retrospective views on the scheme.

Keeping an eye on bridge progress

You can now keep an eye online on progress on the replacement of the Church Road bridge. "The view now" is updated every 15 minutes and there is also a time lapse showing how the works got to this stage.

The page says:

In the early hours of the morning on Sunday 20 July, Church Road Bridge in Frampton Cotterell was closed for the final time to allow replacement of the bridge deck that passes over the River Frome. Our workforce worked throughout the day to remove the old carriageway surfacing, expose the bridge deck and its supports. Throughout the week specialist contractors worked using a diamond saw to cut the 130 tonne bridge deck into manageable sections. Problems were encountered throughout the week with the positioning and spacing of some of the steel reinforcement, but operatives worked into the early evenings to ensure that project timescales were not compromised.  

On Saturday 26 July, in front of a small crowd, the redundant bridge deck was lifted from its supports and hauled away from site where the old concrete will then be crushed and recycled. The demolition phase of the project has been completed on-time and now the next phase of re-building the bridge supports commences for a period of two weeks. 

It's great news that the work is on track so far.

Work underway at Church Road bridge

Following Saturday’s great Frampton Festival, Church Road was shut at 5am on Sunday morning after the diversion signs had been put up, the giant display boards had their text changed to let motorists know and the temporary 20 mph signs had been put up along Iron Acton High Street and Nibley Lane.

Remotely controlled, diamond tipped rotary blade cutters are now being used to slice off and up the existing reinforced concrete bridge deck (see photo).

Work starts at 8am and continues until 8pm each weekday – the aim is to slice up the bridge deck this week ready for a large crane to lift each slice up and to load it onto a transporter for transfer by road to Avonmouth at the end of the week.

We hope that the forecast thunderstorms and heavy rainfall will not cause delays to the programme.