Warwickshire News Mine

Although there is currently a considerable amount of work being carried, much of it involves drainage and service diversions. There is therefore not a great deal of evidence of the progress above ground level.

On Bilton Lane junction, where temporary traffic signals are in operation, the new carriageway is under construction. Drainage works, which include the construction of deep chambers, are also progressing in this area. 

Other ongoing drainage works include the cutting of new ditches to cater for surface water. These are used in preference to pipes whenever possible as when complete, they will allow water to percolate into the nearby ground and also provide an ideal habitat for newts and other species of aquatic flora and fauna. 

Gas and telecommunication diversion work near the Avon Mill Roundabout on the A426 is currently been carried out. This is resulting in some disruption to the traffic, though every effort is being made to keep this to a minimum.

On Parkfield Road Railway Bridge, a base for safety screens has been cast. When complete, the screens will provide protection to the workforce so that the construction of the bridge abutments can proceed without the need for a temporary closure of the railway.

Sheet piling on the River Avon Bridge, which will protect the riverbank from scouring, has been carried out. A rock blanket, which forms the foundation of the adjacent embankment, is currently under construction.

Work will soon commence on Cawston Underpass. This spans the disused railway line and links the existing Cawston Grange Drive/Whitefriars Drive roundabout to a proposed three-spur roundabout on the main line of the new relief road. 

The major earthworks are planned to start towards the end of March by which time it is hoped the weather will be more suitable for excavation and earthmoving. Progress of the works will then be more in evidence.

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 9,504 people visiting the website in January, well up on the 6,285 checking the Warwickshire County Council Rugby Western Relief Road pages in December.

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