Sewerage work to be halted to alleviate congestion

Wessex Water has said it plans an early finish to its sewerage work being carried out on behalf of B&NES Council in Bath city centre.

The company said it was the right thing to do to help alleviate traffic congestion in the city, adding that this will be the final weekend of potential disruption in the Avon Street area.

The water company was requested by the council to move a sewer near Avon Street car park to allow work to begin on the Bath Quays North development.

Traffic management was advised by B&NES and the water company was told when work should take place, but delays to the council’s Cleveland Bridge repairs have exacerbated congestion issues.

Work was due to be paused next Friday 19 November to allow for the busy Christmas period, but Wessex Water is hopeful it will be able to remove its roadworks towards the end of next week. Works will resume on Tuesday 4 January 2022.

Wessex Water's Andy Roberts, who is coordinating the sewer move, said: "The timings for this scheme and traffic management were defined by the council and our team has been working as quickly as possible to complete the work.

"We had reservations around the timings of this work, but there were set deadlines that had to be met. Unfortunately completing work at night was not an option following consultation with local residents and businesses.

"However, we hope to remove the roadworks next week, once a large excavation – four metres deep – has been filled and the road surface reinstated."

Wessex Water said it would be liaising and taking advice from the council to agree modified traffic management and a revised date in the new year to complete the work they have requested.

Mr Roberts added: "We’re sorry for those people who have been caught up in any congestion and hope that traffic will flow better through the city from next weekend.

"We would urge visitors to Bath this weekend to plan their journeys, as it's likely there will be continued delays in the area due to various events taking place in and around the city."