Contractors working on a £5 million scheme to improve Pwyllypant roundabout in Caerphilly will be working an extra hour a day to get the job done quicker.
Improvement works on the roundabout, where the A468, A469 and Pontygwindy Road meet, began on Monday, October 9, and have caused long delays for commuters after roads approaching the busy Caerphilly roundabout were reduced to one lane.
The work is expected to last 12 months.
In a statement, the council said: “The council and contractor have agreed to an extension of working hours at the PwllyPant roundabout works. Instead of standard hours being 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, working hours each week day have been extended to 8am to 6pm.
“Similarly, Saturday working hours have been extended from 8am to 1pm to 8am to 4pm.
“We’re trying to make changes wherever we’re able to, to help motorists and local businesses as much as we can. We hope this extension of working hours will be welcomed.”
Meanwhile, a petition calling for Caerphilly County Borough Council to rethink roadworks at Pwyllypant roundabout in Caerphilly has attracted more than 7,500 signatures.
Caerphilly MP Wayne David and Caerphilly AM Hefin David recently met with council officials who promised action.
The Labour Member of Parliament said: “The council acknowledged that there is huge public concern and agreed that everything possible must be done to minimise the disruption.
“It was agreed that the following will be done; every effort will be made to reduce the time period of the works. Active consideration will be given to night time working where possible.
“Some parts of the work will be done more quickly than was initially envisaged and every effort will be made to minimise disruption in the run up to Christmas and at other important times; the cones will be placed more appropriately so that traffic flow will be improved.
“Careful monitoring of the traffic flow will take place and when it is at its heaviest, the cones will be placed in a way which will ensure improved traffic movement and communication with road users will be improved.
“Regular weekly updates will be provided and ‘user friendly’ month by month plans will be widely distributed so that people are aware of when the easiest and most difficult times will be.
“Please be assured that Hefin and I will continue to monitor the situation carefully as the work continues.”
Motorist Matt Leighfield, who started the petition at Change.org, said: “Judging by the ongoing comments on the Change.org petition, I can see there are still very strong feelings.
“Both Wayne David MP and Hefin David AM have promised to monitor the situation to make sure that there is an improvement. They have also promised to meet again with the council.
“It would be great to know when that follow up meeting will take place.”
Wow an extra hour that will make all the differance wont it.
The only difference it will make is to the contractors pay packet at the end of the week, and they’ll probably get the extra hour paid at time and a half.
I was talking to my son about this and he said when he went to the states a month ago he said their construction workers, work through the night rather then in the day because they can get more done when there is less traffic on the roads.
Which would make no difference as the problem is that vast amounts of the roundabout has already been dug up. They can’t put it back just for the daytime.
No but they may get it done quicker then hanging around all day.
8 hours at night is just as long as 8 hours in the day, but it costs more.
That is the point, a project on a main arterial road should be worked on 24 hours a day.This work should have been planned to be concluded in three months at the most. To accept a contractor will only work on this for a few hours a day is ridiculous.
Before anyone says, I bet you wouldn’t be willing to work like this, I have done so. Sixteen hour days and working weeks of sometimes one hundred hours were once the norm for me.
I have seen on the news that the heads of the valley road is now over budget and way behind schedule. Initially im sure the said it would take 2 years to complete. So how can widen a roundabout take a year
Just like the A465 Heads of The Valleys scheme, this scheme is also likely to overrun and therefore cost more.
To start works moving through autumn and winter doesn’t make sense – as this is the period when inclement weather is most likely to slow or halt work.
Absolutely! We really know how to build and repair roads and stuff out in Texas. The widening of the centre of the roundabout should have been done in isolation and would have taken two days maybe three at most. Done over the first weekend. Feel like I am living in the land of low expectations!
Your living in the land of insufferable health and safety.
Unfortunately Ian we used to have high expectations – but have now accepted that Caerphilly Council can never deliver on such expectations.
What can you expect with muppets in charge.