Updates

Phase 2 update - 2 September 2024

Phase 2, which covers the western side of Castle Foregate from the approach to Cross Street and through to Smithfield Road, will see the replacement of the old paving slabs throughout. At the same time, similar work will also be undertaken at the wide paved area in Chester Street, by the Smithfield Road bus stop.

Traffic management measures will be in place – including the closure of the right-hand lane outside the station – for health and safety reasons, and to enable the delivery of materials to the site.

It’s hoped that work in these two areas will be largely completed before Christmas.

Traffic signals and the associated island have been removed earlier than planned at the Cross Street/Chester Street junction to help ease congestion and avoid disruption to The Gateway when classes resume in mid-September.

Measures put in place to help minimise disruption include:

• Pedestrian marshals are on site to assist with directing people to safe crossing points and access to properties
• The project team is routinely monitoring day-to-day traffic movements and reporting any issues
• Traffic signals removed earlier than planned at the Cross Street/Chester Street junction
• Traffic signal engineers on site during working hours to monitor the temporary traffic signals and adjust timings when considered necessary
• WSP traffic signal engineer has attended the site every week to assess and where possible, make adjustments to the permanent, existing traffic signals, primarily the Castle Foregate/Smithfield Road junction
• Advance warning signs placed at key locations on the approach to town
• Messaging warning of long delays has been posted on all the large electronic signs, again, on the periphery of the town
• Beacalls Lane is restricted to residents and business use only
• Temporary signs have been installed ahead of certain junctions to advise and try to deter traffic blocking