FOOTBALL fans are being advised of delays caused by a major road improvement scheme taking place on one of the key routes into the city.
Work is underway on part of a £3million Department for Transport Local Highways Maintenance Challenge-funded programme to repair or resurface much of Welford Road between the city centre and the outer ring road, in a scheme which got underway in early July and which will continue until October 2021.
Leicester City Football Club is due to play a friendly against Europa League winners Villarreal on Wednesday, August 4, kicking off at 7.45pm, during which part of Welford Road will be closed to traffic.
The section of Welford Road between Greenhill Road and Chapel Lane in Knighton will be closed to all outbound traffic from July 31 to August 5. Traffic will instead be diverted along Victoria Park Road, London Road and Palmerston Way.
Local diversions will be in place and signposted throughout.
The work is being carried out to improve significantly one of the city’s busiest arterial routes, including carriageways, junctions and pavements.
Work is also ongoing at neighbouring Putney Road West, as part of a major link road scheme to connect it to the junction of Aylestone Road and Saffron Lane, which is part funded by £3.2million from the Government’s National Productivity Investment Fun. No works will be taking place there on the day of the football match, but the ongoing scheme means there is no parking permitted on Putney Road West, including in the turning head at the end of the road.
The Welford Road scheme is progressing on schedule, with work now completed this week on the section from Shackerdale Road to Windley Road. It brings to an end all the work in that area, including the resurfacing of the Welford Road/Palmerston Junction and all of Asquith Way – more than 20,000 square metres of new surfacing.
The latest phase started on July 31 and involves resurfacing Welford Road between Victoria Park Road and Chapel Lane.
Further phases are planned as follows:
Welford Road closed to outbound traffic between Victoria Park Road and Greenhill Road, from August 6 to 11.
From August 12 to 18, inbound traffic will not be able to use Welford Road between Knighton Lane East and Wordsworth Road.
The section of Welford Road between Wordsworth Road and Putney Road will close to inbound traffic from August 19 to 25. In each case, diversions will involve Victoria Park Road, London Road and Palmerston Way.
The final phases of work at the end of August and through September will focus on the area of Welford Road near the University of Leicester and down as far as Almond Road and the Morrisons supermarket.
Leicester deputy city mayor for environment and transport, Cllr Adam Clarke, said: “This resurfacing work is a major project which is necessary to ensure the road surfaces and pavements are in good condition for years to come.
“Inevitably it involves lane closures and some disruption to traffic.
“We have liaised with the football club to ensure travelling fans are aware of the road works taking place at the time of the Villarreal match, so they can allow extra time for their journeys.”
In total the Welford Road scheme involves repairing and resurfacing 10,000 square metres of footway and 45,000 square metres of carriageway over three months in Leicester’s Knighton, Castle and Saffron wards.
Details of all traffic and travel in the city are available on Twitter from Area Traffic Control on @ATCLeicester
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