A major reconstruction project on Manvers Street is due to begin at the end of May, with Bath & North East Somerset Council warning that the city centre scheme is expected to last for up to six months.
Manvers Street from above | Photo © B&NES Council
The work, which starts on 26th May, will see part of the road rebuilt because the structure beneath it has deteriorated.
Manvers Street sits above vaults, cellars and concrete slabs dating back to the 1940s. According to the council, both the slabs and the road’s foundations now need replacing to secure the route’s long-term safety and resilience.
Contractors will dig down through the road to reach the top of the vaults and cellars below before removing and replacing the existing slabs and foundations.
The council said the scheme is intended to provide a permanent solution better suited to modern traffic demands while offering greater protection to the road in future.
During the works, Manvers Street will be shut to vehicles between the junctions with Henry Street and Dorchester Street, although access to Manvers Street Car Park will remain.
Pedestrians will still be able to get through, while cyclists will be asked to dismount. Bus stops along the road will be suspended and services diverted, with revised routes and timetables to be published on operators’ websites.
The closure will also be used to carry out other improvements, including upgrades to pavements and street lighting. Utility companies will also renew infrastructure during the project, in an effort to avoid further disruption later on.
Councillor Lucy Hodge, cabinet member for sustainable transport delivery, said: “We know a big project like this will have an impact and as always we will do what we can to reduce disruption.
“This is a complex piece of work which will better protect what is above and below ground for a long time.
“Carrying the work out now will avoid emergency works in the future which would be much more disruptive.”
The council said it will keep residents and businesses updated during the project and is holding a drop-in information session on 28th April in the Brunswick Room at the Guildhall from 11am to 3.30pm.
The Manvers Street work is one of several city centre schemes being delivered by the council this year.
