Press release

Planned roadworks in the East of England: weekly summary for Monday 2 to Sunday 8 January 2017

Planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week.

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The following information summarises the work being carried out this coming week. It is correct as of the above date but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

A120 and A12 Essex: essential maintenance work

We are completing essential maintenance work on the A120 and the A12 in Essex, which will be ongoing until May. This work will include resurfacing, safety barrier repairs, and bridge repairs, with work taking place between Braintree and Marks Tey, near Colchester, at Kelvedon, and at Wix.

This week we are setting up on the A120 between Great Notley and Great Oakley, and on the A12 between Chlemsford and Colchester, preparing for our upcoming work here. This will be done from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 January.

We are working on the A120 westbound from Great Bromley to junction 29 of the A12 (Crown Interchange). The road will be closed while we are working, from 8pm to 6am on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 January. During the day on Sunday there will be narrow lanes running westbound with a 50mph speed limit in place in both directions. While the road is closed, there will be a clearlyh signed diversion route in place whereby drivers will take the A131 and the A1231 to re-join the A12 at junction 29.

Various roads: routine inspections for street lighting

Highways England is carrying out a programme of routine inspections of electrical and structural equipment across the region, which is planned for completion in spring 2017. Work will include inspecting equipment on the:

  • A5 with no impact on road users
  • A47 which will consist of lane closures but no full closures

Various roads: barrier repairs

Highways England will continue repairs to barriers throughout the week, using lane closures to keep road users at a safe distance from the work. The work will take place at various locations, between 8pm and 5am. This week we are repairing barriers on the M11 in both directions from Monday 2 to Friday 6 January overnight, using lane closures while we are working between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11). We are also repairing barriers on the A120 in both directions, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm).

Various roads: litter picking and sweeping

Highways England will continue litter picking throughout the week on the M11. This will be done using a mobile slow-moving hard shoulder or lane closure. Work will also include sweeping the hard shoulder of the M11 during the day while we litter pick between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

M11 and A120: structures maintenance

Highways England are carrying out routine maintenance work on bridges crossing the M11 between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11) in both directions. They will also be doing similar work on the A120, between junction 8 with the M11 and Braintree (Marks Farm). These will be done during the day, with the hard shoulder closed while we are working.

M11 and A120 Stansted Airport: pothole filling

Highways England will be filling in potholes on the M11 between junctions 8 (Stansted Airport – Bishop’s Stortford) and 9 (A11) in both directions, and on the A120 between Braintree and junction 8 of the M11. This will be done using lane and hard shoulder closures while we are working, between 8.30pm and 6am, from Monday 2 to Friday 6 January.

M11: routine maintenance

Highways England will be doing routine maintenance of structures and technology boxes along the M11 during the day. These will be done with a hard shoulder closure, taking place between junctions 6 (M25) and 9 (A11).

Highways England is building a new 2.9-mile, two-lane dual carriageway running from north of Dunstable and joining the M1 at a new junction 11a, south of Chalton. Main construction started in March 2015. Work is progressing well. The traffic management, including hard shoulder closures, safety barriers, signs, CCTV and average speed cameras, will stay in place throughout the construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017.

Work on the M1

This week there will be M1 lane closures between junctions 10 and 13 from 10pm to 6am for overhead gantry works

Work on the A5 and local road

This week there will be traffic lights overnight on the A5-A505 between 8pm and 6am for safety barrier installation and cabling work. There will be off-peak temporary traffic lights on local roads and A5 between 9.30am and 3.30pm for verge and safety barrier work.

Cycle improvements schemes in Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk and Bedfordshire

Work is substantially completed on the building or improving of cycle paths at 16 locations across the East of England including on the A12, A120, A47 and A5.

The work included the installation of new and upgraded shared-use foot/cycle ways and toucan crossing facilities. The new or improved paths will make it safer and easier to cycle on or around major A-roads and will improve connections with the local and national cycle network.

The project is part of a country-wide initiative which will see Highways England deliver 200 projects over the next five years after the government set up a £100 million dedicated fund for cycling in its Road Investment Strategy.

Ongoing work for this week:

A12 Lowestoft – Station Road/Gunton St/Peters Avenue

There will be off-peak two and three-way traffic lights for MSF to remove existing light columns.

A12 Jubilee Way

There will be off-peak width restrictions to carry out site testing.

A12 High Street Old Nelson

There will be off-peak stop and go to carry out site testing.

A12 Bentley

There will be off-peak width restrictions to carry out site testing.

A12 Camden High Street

There will be off-peak stop and go to carry out site testing.

A12 Gunton Church Lane Hollingsworth

There will be off-peak stop and go to carry out site testing.

A14 Bury St Edmunds: junction improvements

Improvement works are being carried out on the A14 Junction 45 Rookery Crossroads/Rougham. Works include construction of new eastbound slip roads, which are being funded by Suffolk County Council as part of the Bury St Edmunds Eastern Relief Road scheme. There is a 24 hour 40mph speed limit in place through the works for safety reasons, works are currently taking place overnight using lane closures in both directions. The works are due to take 5 months to complete.

A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire: major improvements

Early preparatory construction work on the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has been underway for a number of months and main construction work is now underway.

We are currently carrying out a variety of tasks which will require us to close lanes / carriageway on the A1, A14 and some of the side roads. The work we will be doing will include:

  • creating strengthened crossing points for site vehicles on a number of the side roads; these are called plant crossings
  • installing access points to our construction compounds
  • taking core samples of the existing trunk roads to enable appropriate design and construction
  • clearing the site of vegetation which is adjacent to the live carriageway

Wherever possible, work will take place at night (usually between 8pm and 6am) to minimise disruption to traffic. During the week commencing 2 January 2017, lane or carriageway closures are currently planned for the following locations to enable site clearance to take place. All closures will be effect between 8pm and 6am.

Wednesday 4 January 2017 – Friday 6 January 2017:

  • A1 southbound between junction 15 to junction 14, closure of lanes 2, 3 and 4
  • full closure of the A1 southbound between Alconbury to Brampton Hut
  • A1 southbound Brampton Hut exit slip road closed
  • A1 southbound Alconbury entry slip road closed

A14 Cambridgeshire: drainage repairs

Highways England is undertaking investigations and repairs to the drainage system of the A14 between junctions 32 (Girton – M11 interchange) and 35 (Stoke cum Quy). They will be working off the road during the day clearing vegetation and re-profiling drainage ditches. There will be lane closures and slip road closures between 8pm and 6am while we are working overnight, with all works on weekdays only.

This week we are working on the A14 in both directions with the inside lane closed between junctions 32 and 33.

A47 Dogsthorpe: junction improvements (Peterborough City Council)

Peterborough City Council is continuing its junction improvement work at the A47/A15 Dogsthorpe junction, Peterborough. The work will involve some overnight full closure and 24/7 lane closures on the A47. For more information, visit the Peterborough County Council website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Published 4 January 2017