davieG Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Residents and motorists face at least two months of major disruption while Leicester's landmark Belgrave flyover is torn down. Yesterday, the city council said the huge 1970s-built structure would close to traffic on February 1, so it can be prepared for demolition starting on February 15. The council has revealed two options for the demolition and will be asking people in the area which they prefer. It has outlined a plan where the flyover could be removed in a nine-week period. That would involve two nine-day periods of road closures around the flyover, which currently carries about 34,000 vehicles between the city centre and Belgrave Road every day. The alternative is a 14-week demolition programme where most of the work will be carried out with lane closures between 9.30am and 3.30pm and 7pm and midnight. The roundabout will remain fully open at peak times. Following the demolition, other major works on landscaping the area and creating parking spaces will take place and are scheduled to be completed by the end of October. City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has warned both options involve disruption and late-night noise from the demolition. However, he said the flyover, which contains 6,900 tonnes of reinforced concrete, was "an intrusion" between the Golden Mile and the city centre and its removal would allow the regeneration of the area. He said the roundabout under the flyover could be re-modelled to cope with the volume of traffic after its removal, although many drivers disagree. He said the same number of lanes of traffic would be maintained after the demolition. Sir Peter said: "This is a major scheme that will transform the gateway into the city, but a certain amount of pain for motorists and residents is inevitable. Traffic disruption is inevitable in any undertaking of this size, but there are options of how that can be kept to a minimum. "We know some people would like to get it done as quickly as possible and bear the greater pain for the shorter time. "Others prefer to keep the road open, even though it extends the overall time scale." About 8,000 leaflets are being circulated in the area outlining both options and people have until Wednesday, January 29 to let the council know their preferred option. The decision will be made on January 31. Sir Peter said: "I am inclined to think the shorter period is better, but I am open to be persuaded otherwise." Belgrave Business Association chairman Dharmesh Lakhani said he was uncertain which was the best option. He said: "We need to be sure about which way we are wanting to go. It will improve the area in the long run but that does mean disruption in the short term." Sainsbury's has agreed to fund the cost of the demolition, the landscaping of the cleared area and the provision of 78 new parking spaces, at a cost of more than £4 million. The agreement was part of the deal that saw the company relocate from its Belgrave store, next to the flyover, to its new supermarket in Melton Road. The firm is looking to sell its old site but an information centre will be set up there to answer residents' concern. If full road closures are chosen, highways officials will look to divert drivers along routes including the A6 Abbey Lane or try to get regional traffic to stick to the ring roads. Officials say the diversion routes have capacity but accept there will be more congestion. Further information on how traffic will be managed will be released once a demolition option has been selected. Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/drivers-facing-flyover-chaos/story-20459569-detail/story.html#ixzz2qk7G5rx3
Nick Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 I agree with the idea in principle - it's an eyesore that prevents the area becoming a pedestrianised community friendly space. I however have seen no solution to remedy the functional purpose it serves. The attitude of, "Further information on how traffic will be managed will be released once a demolition option has been selected." is quite frankly daft sounding.
Rincewind Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 They are also thinking of bringing the council offices down with a controlled explosion. They are consulting with some out of work government USA experts and Zingari on how to do it.
jonthefox Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Can't wait to see this demolished. http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Blow-New-Walk-Faulty-Towers-Nearby-businesses/story-20459575-detail/story.html
Jimothy Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 I'm like the new comic Ken! Or should that be Komic Ken for branding purposes? As for the flyover, I get it's an eyesore, and the area would look better with it gone, but it also serves a practical purpose and they don't seem to have a plan on how the roads will cope without it. Glad I don't go that way too often.
Webbo Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 I have vague memories of it being built. It's going to be a nightmare when it's knocked down and I can't see what benefit it's going to bring when it's gone.
Fifties Blue Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 It served its function but it's had its day. Anybody remember using Belgrave Road Station for Skeggy and all points east? Happy days.
Raj Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Can't see how demolishing it will have ANY benefit ..long term or short term...just another example if soulsby fcucking off motorists after all the other major road works of late
Jimothy Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 It served its function but it's had its day. Anybody remember using Belgrave Road Station for Skeggy and all points east? Happy days. How can it have served it's function and had its day when traffic is increasing? Surely with more traffic there is more need for a flyover rather than forcing traffic down one road.
Dr The Singh Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 I thought they were demolishing it because it's falling to bits and hence a safety hazard!
DennisNedry Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Another big middle finger to motorists. I appreciate the vision of having the area prettier and more pedestrianised, but let's not kid ourselves, the kind of people who live in Belgrave won't keep it looking nice anyway; it's full of scum.
Webbo Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Another big middle finger to motorists. I appreciate the vision of having the area prettier and more pedestrianised, but let's not kid ourselves, the kind of people who live in Belgrave won't keep it looking nice anyway; it's full of scum. It's not at all, they will all want to get work in the morning though and this won't help.
purpleronnie Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Another big middle finger to motorists. I appreciate the vision of having the area prettier and more pedestrianised, but let's not kid ourselves, the kind of people who live in Belgrave won't keep it looking nice anyway; it's full of scum.
Raj Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Another big middle finger to motorists. I appreciate the vision of having the area prettier and more pedestrianised, but let's not kid ourselves, the kind of people who live in Belgrave won't keep it looking nice anyway; it's full of scum. No generalization in that post eh???!!!!
Dr The Singh Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Might be able to see Gandhi's statue from a far, what a great Leicesterite he was!! We should be proud!!
separator Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 That bridge isn't fit for purpose anyway so the sooner it comes down the better. Not strong enough to carry 4 lanes of traffic that it was designed for, you just have to walk down the side of the bridge to see the concrete slowly breaking away, exposed rusty steel reinforcing rods. Gonna be traffic chaos whilst they knock it down though.
DennisNedry Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 It's not at all, they will all want to get work in the morning though and this won't help. Come off it Webbo, people from all of Leicester and Leicestershire and beyond use it to get around the city. No generalization in that post eh???!!!! Didn't say that ALL people who live there are scum, but the place is full of it. I went to the Leicester College campus there for 6 months so it's not an uninformed judgement.
Webbo Posted 18 January 2014 Posted 18 January 2014 Come off it Webbo, people from all of Leicester and Leicestershire and beyond use it to get around the city. That's why I said it wouldn't help.
Guest Bilo Posted 19 January 2014 Posted 19 January 2014 Might be able to see Gandhi's statue from a far, what a great Leicesterite he was!! We should be proud!! I'd hire a Land Rover and get it pulled down pdq, Singhy. These will be the last two weeks you'll be able to get away quickly.
Trav Le Bleu Posted 19 January 2014 Posted 19 January 2014 Can't be any worse than what Oadby and Wigston Council have done to the A5199 roundabout next to McDonald's (Leicester Rd/Bull Head St crossing Wakes Rd/Oadby Rd). No idea what they were thinking with the traffic lights, takes 2-3 changes of lights to get round sometimes, but as a roundabout the traffic flowed fine.
Soup Posted 19 January 2014 Posted 19 January 2014 Will never forget that bridge, stuck in the snow for nearly two hours before the Middlesbrough game last year.
lavrentis Posted 19 January 2014 Posted 19 January 2014 Used to enjoying going over Belgrave Flyover as it looked over Childrens World. RIP, we will miss you. x
Zingari Posted 19 January 2014 Posted 19 January 2014 the flyover only gets you to the other hold ups a bit quicker anyway
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