Miracle working off county's busiest roundabout

BRITANNIA Construction has performed miracles evolving the £25-million East Gate development off one of the busiest traffic roundabouts in Carmarthenshire.

Construction is well advanced and there are signs that elements of the development could be opening next summer ahead of the scheduled Autumn 2012 completion date.

Swansea Castle Roundabout at peak periods of the day has more than 3,000 vehicles entering it and hour, that's nearly a car every second.

The only access to the East Gate site of the new Odeon Cinema, hotel and shops and office complex that is being developed is one of the five spurs off the roundabout.

Thousands of tonnes of steel and building blocks, more than 1,000 lorry movements of other building materials and other equipment have all been able to access the site with minimal disturbance to other road users and residents who flank the site on Stepney Place.

Hundreds of tonnes of spoil excavated on the site, has been largely retained within the site boundary and been used in a re cycling manner to raise levels without too much need for transporting to and from the site.

Britannia's project manager David Files said: "Working on such a busy roundabout and in a town centre does pose many problems but we have a considerate constructor's ethos which has kept noise and dust down to a minimum.

"Local residents have been really complementary appreciating our difficulty and have been grateful for the efforts we have made to minimise disturbances for them. In fact some have become friends of the workforce and are on first name terms."

As more work is completed over the Christmas period the pedestrian walkway across the Swansea Castle Roundabout East Gate site entrance will also have to close. Signs have been posted on the hoardings at the end of the bus station and at the end of Andrew Street to indicate to pedestrians the safe routes. Access to the town centre for them will be either via the subway across Swansea Road to the south or to the east to the Aldi's crossing and between Tinopolis and Y Ffwrnes where a walkway has been created to the town centre.

County executive member for regeneration Cllr Clive Scourfield said: "People have been amazed at the speed and efficiency of the deliverance of East Gate and are really excited that in a year from now it will be opened on time.

"Britannia have to be complemented for their for their considerate work management because there has been minimal disturbance with noise, dust and construction traffic exceptionally well controlled."

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