Road closed for extra six weeks as tram track works are delayed

A ROAD closed for tram works is due to be shut for six weeks longer than planned.

Ruddington Lane in Wilford has been closed since October so it can be lowered to accommodate the new tram line to Clifton.

The works had been scheduled to take six months, but tram contractor Taylor Woodrow Alstom says it will now be at least mid-May before it reopens.

Bad weather and a redesign of utility diversions and road layout changes have been blamed for the delay in reopening the road between Fieldway and the entrance to Nottingham South and Wilford Industrial Estate.

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Stacey Richards, senior HR manager at software development company Serif, based on the estate, was not surprised the work was over-running.

She said: "In winter you expect bad weather, so they would have been better off overestimating how long it would take. I would be amazed if it is going to be all done by May.

"It's causing disruption, mainly for our visitors. We've had quite a few arrive late because they had not known about the road closure and diversion."

She added, however, that the company was looking forward to the arrival of the tram.

"There's going to be a stop near here so it will be a good thing for us," she said.

A tram crossing and a tram stop are being built in Ruddington Lane.

Bus operator Trent Barton has been diverting its Ruddington Connection service, which usually runs along Ruddington Lane, via Compton Acres.

It has also been running a shuttle bus from Roko Health & Fitness, Wilford Lane, along Ruddington Lane to Fieldway.

Alex Hornby, commercial director at Trent Barton, said: "We have been informed that the tram works and associated road closure along Ruddington Lane could continue as late as May.

"We will do all we can to continue to provide the best service we can on Ruddington Connection and thank our customers for putting up with the ongoing and frustrating disruption.

"Discussions are taking place with our colleagues at Nottingham City Council as to the continuation of the extra shuttle bus along Ruddington Lane."

Taylor Woodrow Alstom said: "We're sorry that this work will take longer than we had expected. Our initial programme was based on preliminary designs but once on site, we were able to gather more detailed information about the utility services in this area.

"This meant that utility diversions and road layout changes had to be redesigned, which along with bad weather hampering progress, unfortunately means that the full closure of Ruddington Lane will remain in place until mid-May.

"The free shuttle bus that has been established in the area will remain in place until the work is complete.