Newbury’s Bartholomew Street remains closed for Thames Water roadworks

Bartholomew Street remains closed this morning (Thursday) – but Thames Water has reassured West Berkshire Council that it will reopen this lunchtime.

The road was due to reopen nearly a week ago, but the closure order was initially extended until Monday.

That timescale elapsed and the road remained closed this week, with traffic still queuing on all surrounding roads each morning.

The district council said: “Currently Bartholomew Street remains closed, we have been informed by Thames Water that the closure is expected to be lifted [this] (19th Oct) afternoon.”

The road, which has been shut since last Monday (October 9) morning, is currently closed between its junction with Market Street and its junction with Mansion House Street to allow the utility company to install a new service connection. Access to the Kennet Centre car park has been unaffected.

But the road closure has led to queuing traffic on all surrounding roads, particularly along the southern part of Bartholomew Street, St John’s Road, Newtown Road, Andover Road, Pound Street, Market Street, Craven Road and Cheap Street each morning.

Motorists have taken to social media throughout the 10 day closure to vent their frustration at the traffic woes across the town centre each day.

One comment on our website said: “I hope the council are taking all of this into account when deciding about extending the pedestrianised hours of the town centre.”

With another agreeing and saying: “The chaos demonstrates how important it is NOT to do further pedestrianisation in the town centre.”

Another expressed frustration at the “never-ending” problems, adding: “Living at the closure end of Boundary Road, getting child to Trinity then getting to work between Newbury and Thatcham is taking over twice the amount of time it used to do all because a couple of hundred yards of road and a bridge (one way only) are closed for four months!”

While another declared: “How to kill town centre business...”

Kings Road remains closed from its junction with Boundary Road to its junction with Hectors Way.

This closure is in place until Tuesday, December 5 and is to allow SGN to replace a gas main.

This leads to queuing traffic along Boundary Road, Greenham Road, Racecourse Road, Queens Road and York Road.