Fixing The Road

Today's view shows the normally busy A670 road between Mossley and Ashton being administered a little not-so-tender loving care.

The daily pounding of cars and lorries between Ashton and Huddersfield, along with all the local traffic, has taken its toll on the road and it now needs a new surface. Before the new surface can be laid the road is attacked by a fearsome machine that chews up the existing tarmac and deposits it in little bits, by way of a conveyor, into waiting lorries.

The lorry in the photo has been filled and is about to move away. An empty lorry was waiting to take its place. Of course, the workers have to be careful not to damage manhole and drain covers. When the old surface has been removed a different set of vehicles will move in to lay the new surface.

Because of the narrowness of the road, it has had to be closed to traffic. The closure is between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm and could last up to two weeks. This means that traffic, including buses, has had to be diverted via Heyrod and Stalybridge. It was surprising how many drivers had either not seen or not believed the signs telling them that the road ahead was closed. This wasn't too bad for the drivers heading towards Ashton, as they could turn right at the fire station down Arundel Street and down to Bottom Mossley. However, drivers coming up from Ashton who had not taken notice of the signs were having to turn around and take a lengthy detour back down Mossley Road to Darnton Road, or take a trickier detour up Broadcarr Lane and along the narrow Thornley Lane to come into Mossley from Grotton. I saw a number of lorries heading up Broadcarr Lane so I don't know what they did. They probably ended up in Lees!

A shuttle bus was running between Top Mossley and Bottom Mossley, where passengers changed onto the buses running to Ashton that were being diverted through Heyrod. There didn't seem to be any provision at all for would-be bus passengers along Mossley Road between Mossley and Fountain Street in Ashton.

At 4.00 pm the traffic was allowed through again, onto the rough untarmacked surface. It will all start again tomorrow, and every week day until the job is complete. Fortunately the disruption has been reduced by carrying out the work during the school holidays!

See Google Street View of this location.

"Fixing The Road" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.