Patients and visitors travelling to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Wirral are being warned to leave extra time for their journeys after major roadworks caused 'chaos' around the hospital site. Roadworks on Mount Road, outside the hospital and the wider Clatterbridge Health Park, began on Wednesday, June 17, and are expected to continue for several weeks in a number of phases.
Disruption Details
The cancer centre has warned patients the works are likely to affect travel to and from the site and has advised people to allow additional time when attending appointments. Under the current traffic management arrangements, vehicles are unable to turn left out of the Clatterbridge Health Park site onto Mount Road. Instead, all traffic exiting the site must turn right towards Starbucks before following a diversion route. The hospital said this initial phase of the work could last for up to two weeks, with further road and lane closures planned as the project progresses.
The disruption has already sparked concern among some patients and visitors, with one person describing the situation as 'absolute chaos'. They told the ECHO: 'Scottish Power are digging up the only road exiting the hospital site and it's causing absolute chaos. Patients can't get into the site, nobody can get out. Queues were over an hour long yesterday and there's already a huge queue at 8.30am. If an emergency was to happen I fear the worst.'
Essential Works
In a statement, SP Energy Networks said the work is necessary to support major infrastructure improvements in the area. A spokesperson said: 'We're currently undertaking essential works to reroute underground electricity cables as a result of the removal of the bridge at Clatterbridge Interchange. We're working closely with Wirral Council to manage the works and the necessary temporary traffic restrictions to ensure the works can be completed safely. Due to the location of the carriageway, we do know this is causing disruption around the hospital and the local area. We're currently installing additional advanced-warning signage to help reduce traffic build-up and coordinating with the hospital to manage the safe flow of emergency vehicles. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and apologise for the disruption and inconvenience caused while we complete these vital works to ensure the continued provision of a reliable and resilient power supply.'
Clatterbridge Cancer Centre said motorists heading towards Junction 4 of the M53 will need to follow the signed diversion route during the current phase of the works. The hospital has also warned that further disruption is likely later this year when work begins to replace the M53 bridges. Patients attending appointments are being urged to leave extra time for their journeys while the works remain in place. The hospital added: 'We apologise for any inconvenience caused.'
