N Somerset road not closed

[Revolution]

For those planning to ride the popular route between Clevedon and Nailsea this weekend, you should ignore the road closed signs on Netherwood Lane and Nailsea Wall. The closure is for the National Grid work upgrading the overhead power lines from Hinkley Point power station and is due to last quite a while but for the moment at least, they are allowing access for pedestrians, horses and cycles.

[rjb]

Can you give an update of progress on the Tutshill sluice crossing of the Yeo?
Has any work started?

[wjhall]

The alternative to Nailsea Wall is presumably Claverham Drove. Is that affected?

[wjhall]

Claverham Drove does not appear to be affected according to TraveWest, which has the Nailsea Wall closure (1). I now realise what the men putting in fence posts near North Drove last week were doing.

A months' closure seems excessive for putting in a bell mouth, which is essentially not on the road. Will see how I get on today.



https://travelwest.info/travel-updates/ ... =121309574

[foxyrider]

Rode the 'Wall this afternoon - signage specifically allows bikes, peds and horses to use the closed road.

I also passed the sluice on my travels - no sign of any work there atm otoh the sluice over the Axe on the NCN33 near Brean will be closed for 3 days from 6 June.

On the subject of the ongoing Hinckley cable upgrade - wouldn't all those miles of nice new roads across Somerset make a great traffic free bike route? Are there any plans for the future life of this new private road?

[wjhall]

As pointed out above there are posters attached to the main signs at the diversion points allowing cyclists, etc. It would be useful if they were also applied at the more distant notices, cyclists may want to take a wider diversion. There remains the problem of knowing whether this concession will apply throughout the closure. TravelWest does not list diversions, they are presumably in the TRO.

On the plus side it removes through traffic from Nailsea Wall, although locals may well learn that the road is only obstructed by half width fencing.

On the negative side I have the feeling that this is typical of the construction industry, particularly public works, sprawling about without any sign of efficiency, planning or intent to minimise cost or disruption. There is a similar situation with the flood defence works north of Bristol, where the sea wall at Severn Beach, the river bank north of New Passage, and, particularly disruptive for cyclists, the old road to Old Passage and Wales, are closed without any sign of intense activity, or any holes of other works that might create danger.

At Nailsea Wall the sum total achievement of five days work and road closure appears to be some Herse fencing in the field where I assume there will be a temporary bridge over the rhine, and some more about fifty yards further on with a pair of fine new gates on the farmers track through the field from the existing bridge.

Five Days Work:

Two Fine New Gates:

It is not clear why they cannot use vehicles small enough to cross the existing bridge, I assume this is an overhead section. I am old enough to remember the Aire Valley power stations rising from the plain in the sixties (*), but I cannot remember how the transmission lines were constructed, apart from a general impression that it was fairly unobtrusive, and did not involve work sites, haul roads and bell mouths all over the county. I assume the pylons of the time were built on site by assembling sections of angle iron. I suspect the problem here is that the new environmentally sensitive, innovatively elegant and unobtrusive pylons being used for the Hinckley link are built from much larger sections needing heavier vehicles and equipment.

(*) And Ferrybridge collapsing back into the plain.

[wjhall]

Given that Tickenham Moor at least is an SSSI I assume the plan for the haul roads is complete removal and restitution to the natural state.

[mjr]

The TR Order is very vague: https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm ... 90edeb.pdf

[wjhall]

The TR Order is very vague: https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm ... 90edeb.pdf

Thank you, the diversion is fairly clear, using the B-road through Yatton to reach the A370, which is logical; Claverham Drove being single track so not suitable for an official diversion, although I expect some local drivers will choose it, probably depending on how many other drivers they meet using it. Round the north through Tickenham also seems a likely route, since it is presumably the main Clevedon-Nailsea route anyway.