Weekend crane lift and temporary road closure at Colchester Hospital

Patients and visitors are being advised of a temporary road closure at Colchester Hospital this weekend due to a planned crane lift.

To keep everyone safe, temporary changes are needed to access and parking on Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May. This will allow a new air handling unit to be lifted by a crane on to the roof of the main hospital building.

Due to the size of crane involved, another crane must come on to the hospital site, too, to build the bigger crane. It will be constructed in the patient ambulance and bus turning circle on Saturday, 23 May before the lift itself is carried out early on Sunday morning, 24 May.

What this means for you

• A stretch of the South Entrance road (closest to The Lakes and Turner Road) will be closed in between the visitor car park exit and the zebra crossing near Children’s Outpatients (outside the main hospital building) on both days. The road will reopen once work to disassemble the large crane is finished on Sunday
• Access to some areas of the hospital site will be slightly different than usual
• Bus services will be diverted on both days. Passengers will be dropped off and collected at the two bus stops on Turner Road until the South Entrance road reopens

This aerial image shows where the road will be closed

Parking and access

• The main visitor car park and The Lakes car park will both stay open
• Access to all hospital services and departments will be maintained throughout the weekend
• All traffic to the Dame Clare Marx Building and Elmstead Day Unit will be diverted through the Primary Care Centre entrance and along the front of the villas on the Turner Village side of the hospital site.

Signs and traffic management will be in place to help guide you if you are attending an appointment or visiting these areas.

Plan ahead

If you are attending an appointment or visiting the hospital:

• Please allow extra time for your journey
• Follow on-site signage and staff directions

We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding while we carry out these important works safely.