South Gloucestershire Council has said it is “not aware of any delays” to work to demolish and install a new railway bridge on Gipsy Patch Lane as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
A planned eight-month closure of the road in Little Stoke began earlier this month.
However since then the coronavirus pandemic has caused disruption to almost every aspect of people’s lives.
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But South Gloucestershire Council has said it is not aware of any delays or changes to any of the authority’s major roadworks projects at present, including the Gipsy Patch Lane works.
“As soon as we become aware of any changes, the information will be communicated via our website and social media channels,” a spokesperson added.
The bridge works are part of the Cribbs Patchway metrobus extension (CPME) scheme, which will provide a direct bus link between Bristol Parkway and The Mall.
The new railway bridge requires extensive engineering works, including the demolition of the existing railway bridge and lowering the road to conform to national design standards for headroom under bridges.
It will provide room for new bus lanes in each direction and shared use cycle and pedestrian pathways, as well as general traffic lanes.
The current bridge creates a traffic bottleneck causing queues on Gipsy Patch Lane.
But South Gloucestershire Council said the new bridge will relieve this pinch point, allowing for reliable bus journey times, as well as providing improvements for pedestrians, cyclists and private vehicles.
To enable the new bridge to be moved into place the railway will be closed between Saturday, April 11 and Sunday April, 19 - Easter weekend.
However prior to moving the bridge, Gipsy Patch Lane is closed at the railway bridge to all road users - including cyclists and pedestrians - for eight months since Thursday, March 5.
It is to allow the contractors to carry out the final preparations before the bridge is maneuvered into place.
Once the bridge has been moved, the road closure will remain in place while work is done to lower the road.
Network Rail and its contractor Alun Griffiths will be working towards re-opening a route for pedestrians and cyclists beneath the new bridge as soon as possible.
There is a signed diversion route in place throughout the closure that will take motorists via Bradley Stoke Way and the A38.
Additional signs are also in place on the wider road network informing motorists of the Gipsy Patch Lane closure and advising them to use alternative routes such as using the motorway network rather than local roads.
