Regent Road works restart as Sisk steps in
John Sisk & Son has been appointed to restart the £15m roadworks on one of Manchester’s busiest routes, after previous contractor Dawnus entered administration.
The £15m Manchester-Salford Inner Relief Road project began at the end of August last year, and is designed to increase capacity at six key junctions by up to 20%. Dawnus had been appointed to carry out the job but work stalled after the Swansea-based contractor collapsed earlier this month.
Sisk has now been appointed to complete the project and will be on site next week, with a view to resuming “full work as soon as possible”.
The work has already caused delays across the road network with routes impacted including the M602 and the Mancunian Way, with Regent Road reduced from two lanes to one in each direction.
The scheme is delivering improvements at the following junctions:
- The junction of Dawson Street, Regent Road, Trinity Way and Water Street
- The junction of Regent Road and Ordsall Lane
- The junction of Regent Road and Oldfield Street
- The junction of the Mancunian Way, the A56 and the A5607 roundabout
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This has been a challenging situation but I am glad that it has been resolved so quickly and that this vital work is now getting back on track.
“We recognise that it’s been frustrating for motorists during this brief period of uncertainty but despite the complexities involved, the good news is that we’ve only lost a short amount of time and do not anticipate significant delay, if any, to the original project timetable.
“We’d like to thank people for bearing with us while this we’ve gone through this process to get the works resumed.”
Cllr Roger Jones, Executive Support for Transport at Salford City Council, said: “We are extremely pleased this frustrating situation has been resolved so quickly so that works can continue.
“The overall aim of the project is to improve the capacity at junctions and make life easier for people travelling in and around our cities.”
Shame – it’s been funny watching all the red-faced motorists queuing up at all times of day while I sail past on my bike
By Anonymous
Don’t worry Anon, you’ll be able to continue doing that while the works are being finished and then again once they are complete.
By Bob Allatt
This is good, saved some blushes. Well done for a speedy response.
By Thumbs Up
How many bites of the cherry do the council need to sort out the city’s main arterial routes?
By D
It’s okay Anon, most of us are used to it now 🙂
By Des
Shame the cyclists don’t use the cycle lanes that are still there to be used though
By Dover
Dover – it isn’t illegal for cyclists to not use the cycle lanes, although I don’t know why you wouldn’t use them on such a treacherous junction as this! That’s like saying why don’t motorists use the motorway
By Anonymous
I thought that the pavements were there for cyclists who think they are Lance Armstong and pedestrians were just an inconvenience? Mind you those cycle lanes in Rusholme are wide enough to get the QE2 down but the pavements strangely enough are now not wide enough for wheelchairs to accommodate them.Why worry about the disabled MCC when you have the Green Gestapo’s needs to consider?
By Elephant
Ahh yes – see the MEN commentators have made their way to PNW below with the classic ‘motorists this’ and ‘cyclists that’ chat below. Doesn’t transport just bring out the best in people… Christ I need to rethink my career choices.
Good on the authorities for getting someone onboard so quickly; saved some major embarrassment there given how badly it could have gone. Though still have to question how a company so close to failure managed to win the contract in the first instance.
By Daveboi