Works on A36 at Limpley Stoke to continue until end of June

Essential safety repairs on the A36 Warminster Road at Limpley Stoke are over-running, with two-way traffic lights needing to remain in place until the end of June.

The A36 at Limpley Stoke, where work is ongoing | Photo © National Highways

National Highways has this month given an update on the £5 million project to stabilise the embankment next to the southbound carriageway.

Work began last August after cracks appeared in a footpath, and the scheme was scheduled to last until the spring.

The A36 was closed between Limpley Stoke and Monkton Combe with diversions in place, although it temporarily reopened for a few weeks last autumn under two-way traffic lights to allow Wiltshire Council to carry out essential work on the A350.

In February, National Highways said it would be reopening the A36 under two-way signals from the beginning of March so that work could continue while allowing traffic to have access, supporting those communities most impacted by the closure.

Ongoing work on the A36 near Bath | Photo © National Highways

At the time, National Highways said that while it was reopening the road “sooner than previously planned”, doing so under traffic management would restrict the work site and extend the programme into May.

However, it has emerged that the two-way traffic lights will be in place on the road until the end of June.

National Highways said: “The work programme has been extended after some additional areas of work were identified.

“Compensation grouting was needed to help secure the rock mesh in the uphill embankment.”

During the closure, National Highways took the opportunity to carry out other work to reduce future impact on drivers including repairs to the masonry on the viaduct and drainage repairs on the A36 north of Brassknocker Hill.

Since March, National Highways has completed the concrete capping beam that sits on top of the 208 piles that have been installed and provides the foundation for a new vehicle barrier.

It has also carried out kerb drainage work on the southbound carriageway.

Works to be completed before the end of next month include drainage and kerb installation on the northbound carriageway, resurfacing and line marking, and installing a vehicle barrier and fencing.

Nine years ago, the A36 was closed for several months for work to stabilise the bank underneath the section of road between Bathampton and Limpley Stoke.