Motorists warned as city's traffic network faces Christmas chaos

Joanne Ginley

MOTORISTS are being warned to expect delays as work starts to repair a bridge on a major route into Leeds city centre.

The works on the Leeds Inner Ring Road are expected to last about 26 weeks and will involve some weekend traffic diversions in the run-up to Christmas.

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The closures come at a time when other works are being carried out on the M62 motorway, one of the key routes for motorists in and out of the city.

Leeds City Council said it was starting essential work this week to strengthen Lovell Park Road Bridge on the Leeds Inner Ring Road.

Coun Richard Lewis, the council’s executive member responsible for city development, said: “This is essential maintenance work to repair a bridge on a major city centre route and while we understand that there will be disruption to motorists, especially in the run-up to Christmas, we cannot avoid doing the work at this time.

“However we will work to complete it as soon as possible; traffic diversions will be clearly signposted to help traffic around the work and any diversions in place during weekends and through to Monday will be at off-peak times. We advise motorists to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journey.”

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Speed restrictions are already in place on the M62 motorway in parts of West Yorkshire as a result of partially-completed plans to allow motorists to use the hard shoulder to ease congestion.

In addition, the Highways Agency has advised drivers of overnight closures of the M62, between junction 25 at Brighouse and junction 26 at Bradford, for the removal of Whitechapel Road Bridge in September and October.

The bridge carries the B6120 Whitechapel Road between Scholes and Cleckheaton.

The closures, in September and October, are the first stage of a bridge replacement that will see the B6120 closed for 42 weeks.

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Diversions will be put in place as necessary but closures are also set to take place in the busy run-up to Christmas.

A new bridge will provisionally be put in place in December and January when weekend overnight closures are again expected to be in force.

Tim Calvert, Highways Agency project manager, said: “Replacing a bridge across a motorway is a very difficult and complex task and inevitably will cause some inconvenience to the public.

“All closures will take place overnight and at weekends when traffic flows are lower.”

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In Leeds, Lovell Park Road Bridge is a concrete bridge that carries Lovell Park Road and Wade Lane over the A64 Leeds Inner Ring Road to the north east of the city centre. It is adjacent to the site for the new Leeds Arena.

The existing road will be surfaced and waterproofed and the external beams on each side of the bridge will be replaced with new ones.

Wade Lane and Lovell Park Road will be closed for about eight weeks including six weekend closures of the inner ring-road.

The weekend closures of the inner ring-road will be at off peak times between 8.30pm on Saturday evening and 5:30am on Monday morning.

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Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times except when it is considered unsafe, for example, when beams are being lifted in or out of the bridge.

Pedestrian diversion routes will be in place to guide the public around the works.

People can also find information about the traffic diversions in place as a result of the Lovell Park Road Bridge works by using the following link: www. leeds.gov.uk/Transport_and_streets/Roads_highways_and_pavements/Roads_bridges/Lovell_ Park_Road_bridge