07
July
2014
|
17:19
Europe/London

£3.5million road works scheduled for A420

The county council is to invest £3.5million on work that will greatly improve the standard of the road surface and maintain the drainage and safety barriers.

The road will be completely closed between Watchfield Roundabout and Lower Bourton Junction and diversions will be in place. However the county council has pledged that crews will work extra shifts to get the job done as quickly as possible.

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “This section of the A420 is failing rapidly and needs to be reconstructed. Our engineers will be working hard to renew the road, clean the drainage and replace the safety barrier.

“It is a big job, but one that needs to be done. All road users will be affected by the work and severe delays are to be expected. However I am sure that the short term pain will be worth the long term gain as the road should not need further repairs for many years.

“We will have staff working during the week, at weekends and sometimes at night to get the job done as quickly as possible.

“We have been in regular contact with the parish council and everyone is being asked to review their daily journey route, mode of transport and time of travel and where possible consider alternatives.”

Traffic management

The work is expected to last for seven weeks.

During the closure of the A420 between Watchfield Roundabout and Lower Bourton Junction alternative routes are:

  • HGVs over 7.5 tons via A34/M4
  • All type local East-West (Oxford-Swindon) traffic via A417 East – A4185 South – A34 - M4
  • All type West-East (Swindon-Oxford) traffic via M4 – A34

Non motorway traffic will be advised to find alternative routes.

All road users will be affected by this work and severe delays are to be expected. Everyone is being asked to review their travel plans and where possible consider alternative routes.

Local traffic will be diverted through Shrivenham High Street which will have a 20mph speed restriction temporarily imposed from Townsend Road. Oxford bound local traffic will be directed onto Faringdon Road. A 30mph speed restriction will be temporarily imposed for the full length of Faringdon Road.

Swindon bound local traffic will be diverted via Majors Road and Longcot Road and a 40mph speed restriction temporarily imposed. Please find the attached diversion route plans.

Buses

All the bus services (including Route 66) will be maintained throughout the duration.

Local access and heavy vehicles

Access will be maintained to properties and businesses within the closed section of the A420. Measures will be in placed to prevent all through traffic above 7.5T using unsuitable local roads.

Deliveries

Deliveries to shops and businesses in Watchfield and Shrivenham and the surrounding local area will require the HGV drivers to produce delivery documentation evidence such as a delivery note to the marshals/Trading Standards Officers at each end of the bypass.

Shops and businesses are encouraged to arrange for deliveries to be outside peak hours if at all possible. Businesses will remain accessible and open as usual.

Preconstruction

There will be some preparatory work taking place from 14 July. Areas of carriageway will be subjected to off peak traffic restrictions.

Keeping informed