Apology over roadworks delay (From Daily Echo)
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Southampton's transport boss sorry for rush hour tailbacks on A33 Millbrook Road West
8:06am Thursday 5th July 2012 in Southampton
By Matt Smith, Politics and business reporter
Traffic has been queuing to get through the A33 roadworks
Southampton’s transport boss has apologised for the major rush-hour delays caused by roadworks on the Millbrook flyover.
Contractors are racing against time to carry out essential repairs to crash barriers before the Olympic Torch arrives in Southampton on July 14.
But Councillor Asa Thorpe admitted that motorists should have been given better warning of the lane closures both ways along a stretch of the A33.
Long queues had already begun to form on Millbrook Road West early this morning as motorists filtered into the single lane over Millbrook flyover.
It comes after the roadworks yesterday morning caused tailbacks on the M271 south from the M27, and eastbound on the A35 from Ashurst.
And last night traffic heading out of the city was backed up as far as the Central police station.
The lane closures, which are scheduled to remain in place until July 17, stretch both ways along the A33 between the junction with Waterhouse Lane and the flyover.
The council initially said that it expected the impact of the works on traffic flows to be “moderate” but last night advised motorists to avoid the route during peak hours and to allow extra time for their journeys where they can.
It said that contractor Balfour Beatty was now working extended hours seven days a week to complete the works as soon as possible to minimise future disruption.
Cllr Thorpe said: “The crash barriers are in urgent need of replacement and we have no option than to complete these as soon as we possibly can. I apologise that commuters for the inconvenience – better advance warning should have been provided.”
Comments(19)
Just another reader
says...
8:34am Thu 5 Jul 12
daveprotools
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8:48am Thu 5 Jul 12
robwinch
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8:59am Thu 5 Jul 12
AndyVD
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9:18am Thu 5 Jul 12
robwinch wrote:Actually plenty of warning was given by the gas company responsible, however, their signs were so blooming small, even I couldn't read them and I can read text pretty well at some distance!
It is outrageous how the council are allowed to get away with this sort of thing. Roadwords to this extent without any prior warning literally causes traffice chaos. They have done the same on Winchester Road for weeks now with no prior warning to residents. There is no strategy or planning in place for timescales. A simple apology is not acceptable!
G0Rf
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9:56am Thu 5 Jul 12
The 2 lanes for the roundabout should be 2 lanes for longer to encourage people to use both lanes!
or even better signage!
Solomon's Boot
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10:04am Thu 5 Jul 12
cliffwalker
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10:34am Thu 5 Jul 12
louisa12
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10:39am Thu 5 Jul 12
For pity sake
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11:01am Thu 5 Jul 12
bazzeroz
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11:31am Thu 5 Jul 12
southy
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11:44am Thu 5 Jul 12
AndyVD wrote:There is another answer to his problems, and any one else like this problem. and that is move closer to you place of work or change jobs so your place of work is closer to him/her.
robwinch wrote:Actually plenty of warning was given by the gas company responsible, however, their signs were so blooming small, even I couldn't read them and I can read text pretty well at some distance!
It is outrageous how the council are allowed to get away with this sort of thing. Roadwords to this extent without any prior warning literally causes traffice chaos. They have done the same on Winchester Road for weeks now with no prior warning to residents. There is no strategy or planning in place for timescales. A simple apology is not acceptable!
southy
says...
11:46am Thu 5 Jul 12
louisa12 wrote:That would of been down to the Tory Council why it was left and not done sooner.
The road works along millbrook flyover was due to start on the 2nd July. Thank god they realised this date would cause even more chaos as it would have been the day before the seven ships left the city and so they changed the date to the 4th july ! The roads were gridlocked as it was. they have known for ages the route of the Olympic torch so why leave it til the last minute ?
downfader
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12:33pm Thu 5 Jul 12
Dont wait for the road signs to go up for roadworks warnings. Better to check the planning applications on the council websites instead.
I think some councils will give email alerts if you register your route, though I'm not too sure if I've got this 100% right. Might be an option for the councils to adopt if not.
freemantlegirl2
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4:45pm Thu 5 Jul 12
totally mismanaged!
downfader
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4:51pm Thu 5 Jul 12
freemantlegirl2 wrote:I rode past there at 3pm last thursday and it was blocked then and back again at 4pm.
there has been AWFUL traffic all day, on the dual-carriageway and Shirley hiigh street completely blocked all day. yet again there are works to this road at peak times! really it's a disgrace I appreciate that they have to do it sometime but how about only at night or early hours after rush hours only!!
totally mismanaged!
Trouble is all the idiots start to moan when they do the work at night, either because it keeps them awake or because the boyracers like to break the 50 limit and drive like loons.
IronLady2010
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7:39pm Thu 5 Jul 12
I went to the New forest last night during rush hour from Ocean Village, after listening to the radio I went to Junction 5 of M27, yes it was a longer route, but no queues.
HerbertC
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2:27pm Fri 6 Jul 12
So, for instance, there are no signs to warn of the disruption ahead. They filter the 3 lanes down to 1 a few hundred metres before Regent's Park Road, so that all the traffic that wants to turn right has to join the single lane, whilst leaving the outside lane completely clear behind the cones. The traffic is now stationary back through West Quay, past Red Funnel and all the way back to Dock Gate 4. Hard to imagine how you could make the traffic worse if you were trying your hardest...
If it was a private company responsible for this, the CEO would be apologising profusely and changing how it's done. Have the council any idea at all how much money this is costing the local economy? If each car caught in the delays had a meter and charged the council, you'd be damned sure they'd do something about it.
Whoever is responsible in the council should resign. It's a sign of total incompetence. And my delay was at lunchtime - what's it like at rush hour?!
Why in earth is this not being done at night? Absolute farce. If this is the level of competence in Southampton Council at something as blooming straightforward as organising roadworks, then what hope have we got...
garycoop
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11:17am Sat 7 Jul 12
It took 1.5 hours to travel the 2.5 mile queue!
Disgraceful.
Forest Resident says...
8:30am Thu 5 Jul 12