Why put signals on this roundabout?
The traffic signals will ease congestion and make journeys safer
and more reliable at junction 19.
What does the work involve?
The Highways Agency is proposing to upgrade the traffic
signals on the roundabout and will work with us to carry out vital
resurfacing and crash barrier replacements.
It is proposed to install traffic signals at the two A369
approaches to the junction, as well as widening the
Martcombe Road approach to create an extra short third
lane leading up to the new signals. A short third land will
also be built on the Portbury Hundred approach.
As part of the
Greater
Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) scheme it is proposed to add a
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/Bus lane on the Martcombe Road (A369
south approach) and to widen the M5 Junction 19 northbound slip
road. It is also proposed to install traffic signals at the
junction of the A369 with St George’s Hill and Portbury High
Street.
These combined works will bring the roundabout up to current
standards, improve the efficiency of the J19 roundabout and
approach roads and reduce the queue lengths on the
approaches.
What will the scheme cost and who will
pay?
The total package of works will cost around
£3million. Most of the money will be from the
Greater
Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) as part of the Local Transport
Plan.
Funding has also come from Portishead's Ashlands
housing developer as part of the planning agreement.
The cost of upgrading the existing traffic lights will be funded
by the Highways Agency, and we will pay for the resurfacing
work and crash barrier improvements.
When will the work start?
It is likely the work will start in September 2010.
Why does this scheme stop right turns out of Portbury
High Street?
This is to keep traffic moving on the main road (A369) to stop
vehicles from dangerously backing up onto the motorway
roundabout. The only safe way to do this is to stop the right
hand turn out of Portbury High Street.
Have you thought about what this might do to the St
George's Flower Bank?
The impact of the proposed works on the flower bank will
be reduced by making sure good construction
practices are used. These will include dust suppression where
possible, protecting retained habitat during construction using
fencing, minimising the work at the edge of the road
and making sure no habitats are lost (this will include moving
any from work areas). There will be minor disruption to the verges,
but, we will balance this with some enhancement of the
calcareous grasslands and scrub habitats.
The whole scheme has been designed to minimise
environmental impact while considering other vital points,
such as road safety, engineering design and cost.
Why is it proposed to introduce a HOV lane and signals
on the A369 (Martcombe Road)?
This part of the works will improve journey time reliability for
bus passengers travelling along the A369 from Portishead to
Bristol.
Will there be a lot of disruption while the work is
done?
As with all roadworks, we do expect there to be
some unavoidable local delays. But, to keep this to a minimum,
especially at peak times, we will be doing most of the work
overnight. Whenever we have to do work on the A369 motorway
roundabout approaches we will try to publicise the work so, if
possible, you can find another route.
