The next stage of the Forder Valley Transport Improvements programme will get underway from Monday 1 March, with the start of work to widen and improve Leigham Roundabout and Forder Valley Road.
This part of the scheme will improve traffic flow, upgrading and extending the short merge from the roundabout heading northbound onto Forder Valley Road and providing an additional lane on the southbound approach to the roundabout.
It will relieve the congestion and queueing that often extends back onto the roundabout and down the A38 westbound off-slip and complement the new Forder Valley Link Road, already under construction. Walking and cycling facilities will also be upgraded.
These improvements have been awarded a £5 million contribution from the Department for Transport’s National Productivity Investment Fund and £100,000 Growth Deal funding from the Heart-of-the-South-West Local Enterprise Partnership.
The main works will start in late April and are due to be completed by Spring 2022. Some early gas and water diversion works will need to be carried out ahead of this, starting on Monday 1 March.
Temporary white lining to accommodate the first phase of traffic management will be painted on Forder Valley Road overnight on Sunday 28 February. These works will take place between midnight and 7am and access will be maintained in both directions using temporary traffic lights.
To ensure a safe working area, the reduced 30mph speed limit currently in place near the petrol station will be extended along the full length of Forder Valley Road. The reduced limit will apply from Monday 1 March for the duration of the works and signs will be in place along Forder Valley Road from Monday 22 February to alert drivers to the upcoming change.
From Monday 15 March the footway/cycleway on Forder Valley Road between Wilburt Road and the entrance to the subway will be closed, for around four weeks. (The subway under Forder Valley Road will remain open.) There will be a temporary walkway on the opposite side of the road and a temporary crossing across Forder Valley Road.
There will also be some overnight lane closures on Forder Valley Road between the roundabout and Wilburt Road for up to 10 nights from Monday 22 March. These works will only take place between 7pm and 6am and access will be maintained in both directions using temporary traffic lights.
The main construction works will start in late April. Most of the first phase will be off-road but the short left-turn lane from Delamere Road to Forder Valley Road will need to be closed for around 12 months. Traffic will still be able to access Forder Valley Road from Delamere Road using the first ‘ahead’ lane.
Works to extend the subway under Forder Valley Road will begin in early May. The subway will be temporarily closed until early Spring 2022 but a temporary pedestrian crossing will be in place.
For the latest scheme updates email fvlrcomms@balfourbeatty.com with your name and contact details or see our Forder Valley Transport Improvements pages.