Repairs mean road delays

Jun 18 2009 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

RESURFACING work on Hamilton’s Bothwell Road, lasting seven weeks, is to start on Friday.

However, South Lanarkshire Council said this week that the works, costing £400,000, have been designed to cause the least amount of inconvenience for road users, businesses and residents.

The authority decided to carry out the works over the school summer holiday period and in phases to accommodate the SPL football season and race meetings at Hamilton Park racecourse.

The works will use a process called “Repave” which ensures reductions in CO² emissions, waste and energy consumption. It was further pointed out by the authority that this reduces construction vehicle movements and damage to the existing road network, resulting in less inconvenience to the travelling public and local businesses.

Chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s enterprise resources committee, councillor Chris Thompson, said: “We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience that may occur during these essential roads improvement works.

“We hope that by providing as much detailed information as possible that people will be able to plan their journeys accordingly, but it is advisable to allow extra time.

“When we announced our £126m Roads and Rural Investment Programme we made a commitment to improving roads throughout South Lanarkshire.

“Unfortunately to improve roads on this scale is impossible without some form of disruption to road users and we would ask for the public’s patience during this period.”

The works will be carried out in five phases with a number of road closures and different traffic management systems in place for each one.

l Phase one: from 7pm on Friday, June 19, to 6am on Saturday, June 20, and from 7pm on Saturday, June 20, to 6am on Monday, June 22.

New Park Street and part of Caird Street will be resurfaced during this period. This work will be carried out under a road closure and local diversions will be in place. On Monday, June 22, the road will be open from all directions although restricted by traffic management.

l Phase two: Sunday, June 28 from 6am to 8pm.

The roundabout at Almada Street/The Furlongs/Muir Street/ Hamilton Road will be resurfaced by Land Engineering. It will be carried out under a road closure and local diversions will be in place.

l Phase three: from Sunday, July 12, at midnight until Thursday, July 16, at 10am. Virgin Media will carry out improvements to their services on Bothwell Road at Bothwell Bridge. At the same time, SLC will carry out resurfacing works at this location. This work will be carried out under a road closure and local diversions will be in place.

l Phase four: from Saturday, July 18, at 7pm until Monday, July 20, at 6am.

Carriageway resurfacing works on Bothwell Road at Bothwell Bridge and the mini-roundabout at Hamilton Road/Bellshill Road. This work will be carried out under a road closure and diversions will be in place.

l Phase five: from Saturday, July 25, at 6am until Friday, July 31, at 8pm.

“Repave” carriageway recycling and resurfacing works will be carried out by Colas Ltd on behalf of SLC on Bothwell Road, Hamilton (northbound side only). It will be carried out by operating a 10mph convoy system from Almada Street to Caird Street and under a contraflow system from Caird Street to Bothwell Bridge.