Winwick Road users have said it is ‘beggars’ belief’ that the roadworks are taking place during the day, rather than at night which would cause disruption.
Work began on the road earlier this month, with a single-lane closure on Hawleys Lane near the junction with Winwick Road, and a single-lane closure on the southbound carriageway of Winwick Road.
SP Energy Networks (SPEN) are carrying out essential electricity works which will involve installing a new underground electricity cable between two of its existing substations in Warrington – one on Dallam Lane and the other on Rodney Street. This will help to futureproof the local network and ensure a reliable electricity supply for customers into the future.
The work and lane closures are expected to go on until the spring.
One person told the Warrington Guardian: “It is beggars’ belief that anyone has approved roadworks that are causing traffic to build up through what must be the busiest road in Warrington during rush hour traffic.
“The roadworks on Winwick Road are spilling horrendously onto the motorway and causing traffic jams up the M62.
“Why can they not be done overnight when barely anyone is travelling to/from work, rather than causing gridlock all the way through the centre of our already congested town?”
Another person has said that Winwick Road now resembles more of a car park than a dual carriageway.
SPEN has responded to this backlash and has told the Warrington Guardian that it looked at ‘all possible traffic management options’.
But it found that overnight closures, rather than daytime ones, would not be ‘feasible’.
A spokesperson said: “Our engineers are currently working seven days a week to install a new underground electricity cable on Winwick Road in Warrington.
“These major works are necessary to increase the capacity of the local electricity network to meet growing demand for the likes of electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps.
“We’ve worked closely with Warrington Borough Council to plan the works in a way that allows traffic to keep moving both in and out of the town, while ensuring the cable installation can be completed safely and as quickly as possible.
“We looked at all possible traffic management options, but due to the nature of what’s involved, restricting our works to overnight closures only is not feasible for this project.”
The company has said it understands the impact of the works and has apologied for the inconvenience caused by them.
A spokesperson continued: “We’re doing everything we can to keep any disruption to a minimum and will reopen sections of the road on a rolling basis as we move along Winwick Road.
“We do understand the impact of these essential works and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”