TransLogistics

Transport and Logistics Network

Two weeks of road closures lined up for busy city junction

Two weeks of rolling road closures[1] will start this week at a busy Leicester junction. The closures are to allow for resurfacing work to take place at the city’s A50/Fiveways junction, which links Blackbird Road, Woodgate, Fosse Road North, Groby Road and Buckminster Road.

Branded the city’s “most confusing junction”, the route is in the middle of complete remodel to reconfigure and simplify it for drivers[2]. The £10.4 million improvement scheme will also deliver improved pedestrian crossings and major improvements on its connecting roads, including new cycle lanes[3], wider footpaths and improved routes for buses.

The resurfacing work, set to begin next Thursday (August 24), is the final phase of work to the junction itself, Leicester City Council[4] has said. A series of rolling road closures will be in place and diversions will be “well-signed”, the authority added.

The closures will be “short-term”, “one-way” and will move around the junction in stages, the council has said. However, drivers are being told they should expect delays and might want to take a different route if they can.

The resurfacing work will be split into two rounds. The first, starting next week, will involve planing the road surface[6] and applying the binder course in preparation for resurfacing itself.

  • Blackbird Road will be closed to southbound traffic between Ravensbridge Drive and Fiveways from 10.30am to 11pm on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 August

  • Blackbird Road will then be closed to northbound traffic between Fiveways and Anstey Lane from 10.30am to 11pm on Tuesday 29 August.

  • Woodgate will be closed to all traffic between Fiveways and Marshall Street from 10.30am to 11pm on Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 August.

  • Groby Road will be closed to inbound traffic between Medina Road and Fiveways from 10.30am to 11pm on Friday 1 September.

  • The inbound route through Fiveways junction will be closed to traffic from 10.30am to 11pm on Monday 4 September

  • Groby Road will be closed to outbound traffic between Fiveways and Medina Road from 7.30am to 3.30pm on Tuesday 5 September

  • The outbound route through Fiveways junction will be closed to traffic from 7.30am to 3.30pm on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 September

A second phase of work will then see the same areas close again for resurfacing and line marking. This is due to begin on Friday 8 September.

  • Blackbird Road will be closed to southbound traffic between Ravensbridge Drive and Fiveways from 10.30am to 11pm on Friday 8 and Monday 11 September

  • Blackbird Road will be closed to northbound traffic between Fiveways and Anstey Lane from 10.30am to 11pm on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 September.

  • Woodgate will be closed to all traffic between Fiveways and Marshall Street from 10.30am to 11pm, on Thursday 14 September

  • Groby Road will be closed to inbound traffic between Medina Road and Fiveways from 10.30am to 11pm on Friday 15 September.

  • The inbound route through Fiveways junction will be closed to traffic from 10.30am to 11pm on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 September

  • Groby Road will be closed to outbound traffic between Fiveways and Medina Road from 7.30am to 3.30pm on Wednesday 20 September

  • The outbound route through Fiveways junction will be closed to traffic from 7.30am to 3.30pm on Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September

Some bus services[7] will also be diverted as follows:

  • First service 14 will be diverted via Henley Road, Fosse Road North, Glenfield Road, King Richard’s Road and St Augustine Road

  • Arriva services 27/28/29, the Hospital Hopper and service 125 will be diverted via Brading Road, Anstey Lane, Ravensbridge Drive and Abbey Gate before returning to the normal route on Woodgate

Martin Fletcher, Leicester City Council director of highways, said: “Fiveways is a major scheme that will have huge benefits for the city by simplifying one of our largest and most complicated junctions and making it safer and less confusing for all road users. It will make a huge difference for pedestrians, particularly residents, who will be able to cross the busy junction and get to the local shops safely.

“But the work will also improve the junction for cyclists, for the public transport network and, importantly, simplify the junction for motorists.

“We’re now about to enter the most complicated phase of the works, right on the junction itself. That means we will have to close parts of this busy junction to carry out essential work over the coming weeks.

“We are working hard to minimise the inevitable disruption that this will cause. However, drivers should expect delays and it may be advisable to consider alternative routes while these essential works are carried out.”

Once this phase of resurfacing is complete, work is due to continue along Woodgate through to Waterside where there will be inbound road closures in place, Leicester City Council has said. The authority will provide the full details of this closer to the time.

References

  1. ^ rolling road closures (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  2. ^ the route is in the middle of complete remodel to reconfigure and simplify it for drivers (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  3. ^ cycle lanes (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  4. ^ Leicester City Council (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  5. ^ New speed camera locations in Leicester and Leicestershire with 23 sites added to patrols – the list in full (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  6. ^ road surface (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
  7. ^ bus services (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)

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