Disruptive works on a vital route to and from Bristol have been pushed forward a week in order to avoid causing further congestion for Glastonbury Festival. Wessex Water had previously pencilled in works to repair a damaged sewer chamber on the A37 Wells Road between Hengrove and Whitchurch on Monday, July 1 and Tuesday, July 2.
Eagle-eyed residents and campaigners from Somerset Bus Partnership, Somerset Catch The Bus and South West Transport Network, all spotted that this would clash with revellers travelling home from Glastonbury Festival via car or coach to Bristol and surrounding areas.
These works would have caused significant disruption and congestion for many motorists and traffic in the back streets of Whitchurch and Hengrove as well as Brislington, Keynsham and Charlwood Bridge.
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After concerns were raised by campaigners and discussions with coach providers including National Express, Stagecoach West and First Group, Wessex Water has now postponed the works until Sunday, July 7. Bristol Live understands Bristol City Council told Wessex Water they were unable to close a major route during the week and ordered them to reschedule to a weekend.
The water firm informed Bristol City Council of the new date, which was accepted. A spokesman for Wessex Water said the work near the Petherton Resource Centre is "only expected to take a day".
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Bristol Temple Meads is one of the 109 locations that National Express coaches will drop off festival attendees before and after the event at Worthy Farm. The official coach travel partner of Glastonbury Festival, will operate a fleet of double-decker electric buses on a high-frequency shuttle bus service between Bristol Bus Station and Worthy Farm.
More than 200,000 people are expected to attend Glastonbury Festival this year, with the official attendance record at the 2023 edition broken with more than 210,000 revellers.
