Warwickshire News Mine

Service diversion works have been on going since September 2007, as it is essential that they are out of the way before the main construction work gets underway. These diversions are extensive and include low, medium and high voltage electricity supplies, low and medium pressure gas mains, telephone and other communication cables and a variety of water mains.

There is also the need to divert the main sewage pipe which links the majority of Rugby to the treatment plant in Newbold. The cost of all the service diversions will be about ten per cent of the total cost of the scheme.

Work has started on carrying out some service diversion work on Lawford Road. This will be followed by the construction of a new signalised junction with the Relief Road, as a result traffic lights will have to be erected at certain periods during the next 12 months. However, to minimise the delay to the road users, some of the service crossings will pass under the existing Lawford Road utilising a services corridor through the existing disused railway bridge. 

While the main Lawford Road junction is under construction, traffic will be diverted on to a temporary road, currently under construction, on the south side of Lawford Road. This will also help to keep traffic disruption to a minimum.

Every attempt is being made to minimise the amount of dirt being deposited on the existing roads. There is a mechanical road sweeper permanently engaged on the adjacent roads, and wheel washers are being used where wagons enter the public highway from potentially dirty areas of the site.

During the second half of January, work will start on Bilton Lane junction. This will involve the use of a temporary road acting as a diversion to minimise traffic disruption, but the use of traffic signals cannot be avoided, although whenever possible these will only be used at off-peak times.

It is expected that Bilton Road junction will be completed by the end of May.

Also during the second half of January, piling operations will start on Parkfield Road Railway Bridge. This will be to provide substantial foundations to the new structure and large items of plant will be employed.

There are major earthworks activities continuing in several sections of the scheme but at this time of year, progress is often hindered through bad weather.

The progress of the operations has resulted in the footpaths and bridleways that cross the route having to be closed and diversions arranged. More details are available at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rwrr

Similarly details of the diversion of Parkfield Road can also be found at this web address.

Work got underway in late summer 2007 on the £36.6 million scheme, with the two-year contract awarded by Warwickshire County Council to Carillion Regional Civil Engineering who competitively tendered for the works. 

The 6km road will stretch from Potford’s Dam on the A4071 to the Avon Mill roundabout at the junction of Newbold Road and the A426 (Leicester Road). The relief road will bring various benefits to the area including:

the removal of through traffic from both Cawston and Bilton villages
the reduction of congestion in the town centre in particular Bilton Road, Newbold Road, Corporation Street and Warwick Street Gyratory.
increased cycling facilities in the Rugby area
allowing the possibility of the railway line re-opening in future.

The informative website at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rwrr is proving popular with 6,285 people visiting the website in December and 6,226 checking the Warwickshire County Council Rugby Western Relief Road pages in November.

This compares to September, when just 1,633 visited the pages, and October, where 2,122 visited the pages.

The website provides a host of information and latest developments on the works, including details on the Parkfield Road closure and diversion routes, footpath closures and diversions, ecology measures being taken as part of the works (including the efforts to protect the Great Crested Newt), landscaping plans (such as 2,000 reeds being planted to help with pollution control), and the general programme of works.

Link to WCC