Below is the press release from the County Council about the closures planned for Milburngate Bridge. We did raise a variety of issues and suggestions with the Council about this asking that they do more to help reduce traffic in the City centre during the repair works and to look on this as a possible trial for longer term traffic reductions.
The council pretty much ignored us when we held a meeting with the Head of technical services a while ago. We asked for amongst other things:
Use of County Hall car park at weekends for free for visitors to the City.
Getting as many staff as possible to work from home at the Council and other large employers in the City.
Making the park and ride free for vehicles with multiple occupants.
Moving council meetings out of Durham City.
A huge number of other possible traffic reduction measures could have been looked at, but it was clear they didn’t want to listen to us.
Council press release:
People are advised of how they can help keep disruption to a minimum ahead of work starting on Milburngate Bridge in Durham.
The essential project, which will involve a major renovation of the bridge, gets underway on Sunday 12 July.
It will continue throughout the school summer holidays, when traffic using the route in peak hours usually falls by around 20 per cent, in order to minimise disruption as much as possible, although delays and congestion, particularly on other routes in and around the city, will be unavoidable.
Work will normally be carried out between 7am and 10pm, seven days a week, but working hours may be prolonged, if needed, to reduce the time it will take.
One lane will remain open at all times throughout the scheme and a footpath will also be provided.
The project will be delivered in three stages (see attached maps) – the first will see work carried out on the south lane and footpath, the second will be the north lane and footpath and the third will be the two centre lanes.
Start and end dates of each stage will be publicised as the scheme progresses.
The Claypath slip road will be closed throughout the works and the Walkergate slip road, which is off the south of the bridge on the same side as The Gates shopping centre, will be shut throughout the first stage of the project from Sunday 12 July until around 30 July. Diversions will be in place.
The footpath underneath the bridge between The Gates shopping centre and the Passport Office will be closed for part of the project – further updates will be provided closer to the time.
Access to Pimlico from Quarryheads Lane will be closed to all traffic for the duration of the works to prevent the road being used as a rat run. Local traffic will be able to access Pimlico via Grove Street and the parking bays will remain open.
It will also be necessary to close Milburngate Bridge completely for at least five nights, normally between 8pm and 6am – dates and alternative routes (see attached diversion map) will be publicised nearer the time but the first overnight closure will take place on 12 July.
The council is now advising motorists, public transport users and pedestrians of a number of steps they can take while the work is carried out.
John Reed, head of technical services, said: “We are doing our best to minimise disruption as much as we can by working from first thing in the morning to last thing at night as well as working overnight on some occasions.
“However, people need to be aware that there will unfortunately be delays in and around the city so we are urging everyone to help us keep this disruption to a minimum by only travelling if it is absolutely necessary.
“You can also consider alternative travel arrangements such as park and ride, avoiding peak times when travelling, thinking about changing working patterns, planning extra time for your journeys and planning any deliveries around peak times.
“We hugely appreciate the public’s understanding and cooperation in advance of this really important work.”
Cllr Brian Stephens, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, added: “This work is essential and has to be done in order to secure the future of this vital route through the city for both those who live and work here and visitors.
“We completely understand that delays and disruption on the roads can be frustrating and we would like to thank motorists for their patience and encourage them to think about what steps they can take during the project.”
The bridge, which is nearly 50 years old and carries about 48,000 vehicles every day, is still safe but the work is now needed as it has been nearly 20 years since its last major renovation.
The work will involve new drainage, parapets, resurfacing, concrete repairs and a replacement waterproofing system.
Once the project has been completed the bridge is not expected to need any further major maintenance for around 15 to 20 years.
The scheme is expected to take around seven weeks to complete and cost up to £1m in total.
To keep up-to-date with the work, including live webcam streams, visit www.durham.gov.uk/milburngate and use #milburngate on the council’s Twitter and Facebook pages.
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