New bridge to tackle congestion in multimillion-pound investment
A 75-metre bridge is scheduled to be installed across a section of the A45 to the north of Coventry Airport next month as part of a multimillion-pound investment to reduce traffic congestion.
The bridge is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Gateway strategy – an initiative to stimulate economic growth and help to create up to 10,000 jobs.
Funded by SEGRO, the owner and developer of warehouse and logistics space, as part of the wider development programme for the area, it will provide an additional access points for the existing Whitley Business Park and the forthcoming Whitley South and Gateway South employment areas.
The installation will require the A45 to be closed in both directions between the Stivichall Interchange and Tollbar End Island from 8pm on Friday 6 March 2020 until 5am on Monday 9 March.
Andrew Pilsworth, business unit director, national logistics, SEGRO said: “The Coventry and Warwickshire Gateway area has a great long-term future ahead. The new employment space adds to a region which has a well-established history in manufacturing and engineering, and which is already home to Jaguar Land Rover and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. Gateway South will provide a further 3.7m sq ft of space as a major industrial and logistics hub to further enable new opportunities and investment for the region. It really is fantastic news for jobs and the regional economy.
“As part of the wider development, improvements to the road infrastructure are required to provide the extra capacity and connectivity for the growth of activity that will take place in the future, which is why we are investing in the new bridge.
“This is a major piece of engineering. We have done as much as we can to keep disruption to a minimum, but the A45 will need to be closed for a weekend for the final part of the installation, which is moving the bridge into place. We apologise in advance for any short-term inconvenience caused, but we hope people understand that the long-term benefits will be worth it.”
In early February, SEGRO completed the purchase of a 450-acre site on the south east side of Coventry Airport, which will be known as SEGRO Park Coventry Gateway, as part of its strategy to build scale in its high-quality UK logistics portfolio.
Planning consent has already been secured to develop 3.7m sq ft of industrial and warehouse buildings with a gross development value in excess of £400m. The development, which will be completed in early 2023 will include investment to remediate the former sewage works and post-war landfill site, build new drainage infrastructure and create a 230-acre community park.
Frank Bird, senior network planner, Highways England added: “We’re working really closely with SEGRO and those involved in this engineering project to make sure we can keep any disruption to a minimum. We’re closing the road fully because given the scale and complexity of the work involved, safety is our top priority. We’ll be working really closely with the team on-site during the work and we’d like to encourage drivers to plan their journeys to help limit any disruption.”
