Planned roadworks in the East of England: weekly summary for Monday 30 November to Sunday 6 December 2015
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.
New work
A1 Buckden: signs installation
We are installing additional ‘Police speed-check area’ signs to re-enforce the existing 50mph speed limit in both directions on the A1 at Buckden roundabout. There will be lane closures in both directions over two nights starting on Thursday 3 December.
A1 Langford: signs installation
We are installing countdown marker signs (3,2,1) in both directions approaching Langford. There will be lane closures on the approaches to the junction over 3 nights, starting on Monday 30 November.
A12 Essex: improvements
We are working to improve the A12 in Essex and Suffolk, making the road safer and improving the road surface. We are also putting in place new signs to make the road easier to navigate. Work at various locations along the route will be ongoing until spring 2016. The work is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journey experiences across the East region’s busiest roads.
Starting on Monday 30 November we will be:
- undertaking carriageway repairs and putting new markings on the road at Margaretting; the road will be closed northbound between junctions 12 and 15 between 8pm and 6am
- putting new markings on the road and installing new signs at Colchester; the southbound entry slip road at junction 27 will be closed, and there will be lane closures on the approach too
- undertaking carriageway testing on the northbound entry slip road at Capel St Mary; the northbound entry slip road at junction 32B will be closed, and there will be a lane closure on the approach too
There will be clearly signposted diversion routes in place.
Starting on Wednesday 2 December we will be:
- upgrading and replacing the safety barrier and installing new signs between Langham and Stratford St Mary; there will be overnight lane closures and speed limits during the day where the barrier is incomplete.
- restoring the embankment at Colchester, including improving drainage and fencing; the road will be closed northbound between junctions 27 and 29 from 8pm to 6am, with a clearly signposted diversions directing motorists to junction 29.
A12 junctions 13 to 15, Margaretting: surveys
We will be carrying out pavement investigations between 3 December 2015 and 6 January 2016 with a break for the Christmas period. During the investigations, overnight lane closures will be place.
A14 Stowmarket: maintenance
Lanes will be closed on the A14 between junctions 49 and 50 in both directions between 8pm and 6am from Monday 30 November to Wednesday 2 December for maintenance work. There will also be closures at the same times between junctions 46 (Beyton) and 47 (Woolpit) overnight from 10pm to 5am from Thursday 3 December.
A47 Trowse: bridge repairs
We will be repairing the bridge at the Trowse interchange on the A47 near Norwich (with the A146). The A47 will be closed in both directions at the interchange between 9pm and 6am for 3 nights from Monday 30 November. The diversion will be to take the slip roads off the A47 to re-join it at after the works.
M1 Hertfordshire: carriageway repairs The northbound exit sliproad will be closed at junction 9 (Flamstead) between 10pm and 5am from Wednesday 2 December for a two weeks for repair works. During the same hours and for two nights from Tuesday 1 December, a lane will be closed southbound on the M1 from junction 9 to 8.
Ongoing work
M1, A421, A5, Bedfordshire: improvements
A package of works to repair or resurface carriageways, replace and install new signs, replace road markings, upgrade lighting cables and install new LED lighting heads on the M1, A421 and A5 in Bedfordshire started last month and is planned for completion in January 2016. The work is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journey experiences across the East region’s busiest roads.
Work on M1 at junction 11 (Luton)
We are putting up signage and doing electrical and survey works at the junction. The exit slip roads will be closed overnight from Monday 30 November between 10pm and 5am. One lane will be closed southbound from junction 11 to 10 (Pepperstock) during the same hours for two nights from Wednesday 2 December.
Work on the A5 between Little Brickhill and A505 roundabout
Work to resurface the carriageway, laybys and replace road markings on the A5 is taking place between Sheep Lane Roundabout and Hockliffe. Safety Improvement works at Tebworth Turn will also take place. The A5 will be closed in both directions between the A5 at Sheep Lane Roundabout and the A505 roundabout between 8pm and 6am. Traffic will be diverted via the A505, A4146 and A5. Local residents who require access will be escorted past the roadworks.
Work on the A5 Abbey Hill roundabout, Milton Keynes
Work to upgrade lighting cables, replace lighting heads with LED type and remove redundant columns will be carried out on the roundabout slip roads. It will be necessary to close the slip roads between 8pm and 6am and traffic will be diverted via the A509 Portway Interchange or the Old Stratford Roundabout.
M11, A14, Cambridgeshire: improvements
A package of work to carry out resurfacing, safety barrier renewal, bridge repairs, embankment repairs, replacing and installing new signs, repairing damaged kerbs and replacing road markings on the A14 and M11 in Cambridgeshire, has started and will continue until the end of June. The work is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journey experiences across the East region’s busiest roads.
Work on the A14:
Repair of the embankment at A1307 Huntingdon Road to repair an earth slip in addition to refurbishing works to the bridge. There will be an overnight closure to install some safety barrier and a lane closure and 40mph speed limit in place 24 hours a day with lane 2 remaining open. During the full closure (between 8pm & 6am) the traffic will be diverted southeast towards the B1049, then north to junction 32 of the A14, west to the A428 and exit on the A14 westbound.
Repair of the embankment at Grange Farm A14 J31. A mixture of full road and lane closures between 8pm and 6am (on weekdays). During the full closures traffic will be diverted west to the A1198 south to the A428 and then east to the A14 J32 returning to J31. During the lane closures traffic will still be able to access Cambridge via Huntingdon Road and the A14 West.
Resurfacing the road and putting down new road markings between junctions 29 and 31. The road will be closed eastbound at junction 29 (Bar Hill) to 31 (Girton) from 8pm to 6am (on weekdays). Traffic for Bar Hill and the Village of Lolworth will be able to exit at junction 29 and then travel west on the A14. Traffic for the A14 East and the M11 south will exit at junction 29 and be diverted west on the A14 to junction 23 (Huntingdon) south to the A1 at Brampton Hut onto the A1 south to the A428 heading east returning to the A14. Traffic for the M11 south will leave at the A1303 Madingley Road and re-join the M11 south at junction 13.
Resurfacing the road and replacing signs on Impington Bridge The road will be closed between 8pm and 6am on weeknights in one direction (work in both directions will not be done simultaneously), with clearly signposted diversions in place.
A5-M1 link (Dunstable Northern Bypass), Bedfordshire: major improvements
We are 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 on the M1
We have started work on the new M1 junction. The traffic management, including safety barriers, signs, CCTV and average speed cameras, will stay in place throughout the junction construction work, which will be carried out in phases and should be finished in spring 2017 as the scheme nears completion. There will also be overnight lane closures when required, which will be clearly signed.
Work on the A5
On the A5, travelling from the A505, roundabout traffic has been realigned and now runs on the east side of the carriageway on one lane in each direction to allow for embankment work.
To note that from Friday 4 December until mid-January the A5 will be closed in both directions between 8pm and 6am between Houghton Regis (Thorn Road) and Hockliffe Road for repair work. This work is not part of the A5-M1 link scheme.
Work on local roads
From Monday 30 November to Saturday 5 December, there will be an overnight part-closure of Thorn Road from Thorn Farm to the A5 turning between 8pm and 6am only. A clearly signed diversion will be in place during the closure.
On the A5120 Bedford Road and Sundon Road (East of the M1) there are two-way traffic lights between 9.30am and 3.30pm.
On Luton Road (B579) there are two-way traffic lights between 10am and 3pm.
On the new Luton Road near Vauxhall there are two way traffic lights between 9.30am – 3.30pm.
Work on the major improvement is due to complete in spring 2017. For more information, visit the scheme website
A11 Red Lodge, Suffolk: barrier replacement
Work on A11 in Cambridgeshire to take down the old central reserve barrier, and install a new one between the A11/A14 junction and the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border, near Red Lodge, is continuing and will be finished before Christmas.
During the work, lane 2 of the A11 will be closed in both directions weeknights only between 8pm and 6am.
A14 Ipswich, Suffolk: Orwell Bridge safety improvements
Work to introduce a new speed limit, improve road markings and install new traffic signs as part of a package of measures to improve safety on the A14 Orwell Bridge in Suffolk starts on Monday 30 November and is expected to complete by spring 2016. This work will also see the installation of average speed cameras enforcing a new speed limit of 60mph.
Preparation work has begun. Most of the work will be carried out between 8pm and 6am involving lane closures and some road closures between junctions 56 to 57 with some minor work taking place on the verges during the day. A 40mph speed limit will be in place overnight only while the work is being done.
A14 Haughley (Woolpit): pavement surveys
Work to carry out pavement investigation surveys on the eastbound and westbound A14 at junction 47A and Moonbridge lane continues. The work will be carried out between 9pm and 6am. During the work there will be lane closures along the A14.
A14 Girton to Histon (junctions 31 to 32): lane gain scheme, finishing off works
Work to add an additional lane on the A14 in each direction between Girton and Histon and improve slip roads onto the M11 and A14 was completed on Friday 10 April.
We are carrying out some finishing off work around the scheme. While we carry out this work, there will be some overnight east or westbound slip road closures at junctions 32 and 31 between 8pm and 6am, with clearly signed diversions, and some overnight lane closures during the same hours.
This weekend, there will also be overnight closures of the M11 northbound and A428 eastbound accesses to the A14 with clearly signed diversions between 8pm and 6am on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December.
A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme: topographical surveys
From 19 October to 19 January we will be carrying out topographical, drainage & pavement surveys for the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme.
These surveys allow us to map the layout and level of the existing road, drainage network and adjacent land, as well as understand the ground we will be building on, so that we can fully understand the landscape we will be working in and finalise the design of the new road.
Surveys will be taking place along the whole of the scheme route, this includes the land where the new Huntingdon Southern Bypass would be built and the existing A1 and A14 that form part of the scheme. Surveys of the existing route will require lane closures in both directions and will take place at night only (between 8pm and 6am) to minimise any disruption to traffic. No heavy machinery or plant equipment will be used.
Lane closures are currently scheduled overnight on:
- Monday 30 November: A428/A14 eastbound, junction 31 (Girton) to junction 33 (Milton) (pavement survey)
- Monday 30 November: A14 westbound, junction 28 (Swaveesey) to junction 26 (Fenstanton) (drainage survey)
- Tuesday 1 to Thursday 3 December: A14/A428 westbound, junction 34 (Fen Ditton) to junction 31 (Girton) (pavement & drainage survey)
- Thursday 3, Friday 4 December: M11 NB (junction 14) and A14 junction 31 (Girton) to junction 28 (Swavesey) (pavement & drainage survey).
Further surveys are planned and information will be shared when available.
A138 Chelmer Village, Chelmsford, Essex: Chelmer Viaduct replacement
Work to rebuild the viaduct at Chelmer on the A138 started on 17 March 2015. The major improvement work on the Chelmer Viaduct in Chelmsford will take approximately 18 months to complete.
The reinforced deck construction is currently underway and earthworks are well advanced either side of the main viaduct structure.
All site work is carried out off-line so daytime traffic is not affected by the ongoing works.
For further details visit the scheme website
Highways England is working with the industry and road users to reduce the risks of working on the roads. For the safety of road workers and all road users, when you are approaching roadworks:
- keep within the speed limit – it is there for your safety.
- get into the correct lane in good time – don’t keep switching.
- concentrate on the road ahead, not the roadworks.
- be alert for works’ traffic leaving or entering roadworks.
- keep a safe distance – there could be queues in front.
- observe all signs – they are there to help you.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
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