Planned roadworks in the East of England: weekly summary for Monday 7 to Sunday 13 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
M11 Stansted Airport to M25: carriageway repairs
We are repairing and improving the M11 between junctions 8 (Stansted Airport) and 6 (M25). This work starts on Monday 7 December and should be completed by the end of February (no work during the Christmas period). There will be lane closures and speed restrictions throughout the works and a number of road closures between junctions 8 and 7, with all work taking place between 10pm and 6am. Throughout this week there will be lane closures on the M11 northbound between junctions 6 and 7, for carriageway repairs. On Friday 11 December the M11 northbound will be closed at junction 6 between the M25 entry and exit slip roads, with traffic diverted onto the M25 anti-clockwise west to junction 26 (Waltham Abbey) to return east to re-join the M11 at junction 27.
A1(M) Huntingdon to Peterborough: overhead signs replacement
We are replacing the overhead message signs on the A1(M) between Huntingdon and Peterborough with newer models. The first phase of work, starting on Monday 7 December, will be done using hard shoulder closures only (not over Christmas). A second phase of work in the New Year will need some lane and slip road closures at night, with clearly signed diversions where needed. This work should be completed in spring 2016.
A5 Dunstable: surveys
We are carrying out carriageway surveys on the A5 at Chalk Hill from Frenches Avenue to A505 Leighton Buzzard roundabout overnight from Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December. During the work, there will be two-way traffic lights on the A5.
A12 Oak Road, Rivenhall: safety improvements
We are working to improve safety and reduce accidents on the A12 in Rivenhall at the Oak Road junction. From Monday 7 December we will be working to change the junction, with work to take just over a fortnight. Between 8pm and 6am on weekdays only one lane of the A12 will be closed northbound, while Oak Road will be closed. For residents needing to access Oak Road there will be a clearly signposted diversion.
A12 junctions 13 to 15, Margaretting: surveys
We will be carrying out pavement investigations between 7 December 2015 and 6 January 2016 with a break for the Christmas period. During the investigations, overnight lane closures will be place.
A120 Galleys Corner roundabout, Braintree: signs installation
We installing news signs, and repairing or replacing existing signage at the Galleys Corner roundabout on the A120 in Braintree. From Monday 7 December there will be lane closures on the A120 and B1018 approaching the roundabout between 9pm and 6am, on weekdays only. We expect this work to take around a fortnight to complete.
Ongoing work
M1 Hertfordshire: cable repairs
There is a lane closure on the M1 at junction 9 (Flamstead) between 10pm and 5am for a further week for repair works.
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 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 A421
The A421 westbound will be closed between 9pm and 5.30am from Marston Moretaine to junction 13 of the M1 until just before Christmas. The diversion will follow the route of the old A421.
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.
On the A14 we are repairing the embankment at A1307 Huntingdon Road to repair an earth slip in addition to refurbishing works to the bridge. A lane closure and 40mph speed limit remain in place 24 hours a day with lane 2 remaining open.
We are also 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.
We will be resurfacing the A14 between junctions 26 (Hemingfords) and 29 (Bar Hill). The road will be closed eastbound between the junctions from 9pm to 6am until early January (weekdays only, not over Christmas) and traffic will be diverted via the A1 and the A428. Traffic for the M11 will exit at J32 and return west then head south on the M11. Traffic for A14 junctions west of Girton J31 will exit at J32 and return west on the A14.
A5-M1 Link (Dunstable northern bypass), Bedfordshire: major improvements
We are building a new 2.9 mile, 2 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. Overnight 3 way traffic lights will be on A5/A505 on Thursday 10 December and Friday 11 December between 8pm and 6pm.
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 7 December to Wednesday 9 December between 8pm – 6am , 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 2 way traffic lights between 9.30am and 3.30pm.
On Luton Road (B579) there are 2 way traffic lights between 10am and 3pm.
On the new Luton Road near Vauxhall there are 2 way traffic lights between 9.30am and 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, a lane of the A11 will be closed in both directions (weeknights only) between 8pm and 6am. A speed limit will remain in place throughout the day where there is an incomplete barrier.
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.
Ongoing work includes 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. There will be a clearly signposted diversion route in place.
We are 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. There will be a clearly signposted diversion route in place during the closure.
We are 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.
We are 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.
Starting on Wednesday 9 December we will be surfacing the southbound exit slip road of the A12 at junction 16. Between 8pm and 6am there will be one lane closed on the A12 and the slip road will be shut, with drivers continuing southbound to junction 15 before returning north to exit at junction 16. We expect to complete this work in 2 nights.
Starting on Thursday 10 December we will be installing new signs and road markings on the A12 at Park Lane in Langham. One lane will be closed on the A12 northbound, with the entry and exit slip roads closed at Park Lane between 8pm and 6am. There will be clearly signposted diversion routes in place. We expect to complete this work in 2 nights.
We will be erecting new signs and putting in new road markings on the A12 between junction 29 (A120 Colchester) and junction 30 (Stratford St Mary). Between 8pm and 6am there will be lane closures and speed limits between the junctions. We expect to complete this work by mid-January (weekdays only, not over Christmas).
Starting on Friday 11 December we will be installing new drainage along Chelmer Embankment between junctions 19 and 18, with a southbound lane closed between 8pm and 6am for the works. We expect to complete this work by early February (weekdays only, not over Christmas).
A5 Chalk Hill: surveys
We will be carrying out pavement investigations between12 December 2015 and 14 December 2015. During the investigations, overnight traffic signals will be in place.
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 is underway 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.
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.
There are lanes closed on the A14 in both directions between junctions 55 and 58 between 10pm and 5am until mid-January (weekdays only, not over Christmas). Laybys are closed eastbound on the same stretch of road.
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 lane and slip road closures, with clearly signed diversions where needed.
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 11 to Sunday 13 December. This work was cancelled last weekend due to weather conditions.
A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme: topographical surveys
From 19 October to 19 January we are 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 are 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 7 December 2015: A14/A1 Gyratory ay Brampton Hut including all approached (pavement surveys and drainage surveys)
- Tuesday 8 December 2015: A14/A1 Gyratory ay Brampton Hut including all approached (pavement surveys)
- Tuesday 8 December 2015: A1 northbound carriageway Buckden to Alconbury (drainage surveys)
- Wednesday 9 December 2015: M11 junction 14 (Girton) and A14 westbound junction 31 (Girton) to junction 29 (Bar Hill) (pavement surveys and drainage surveys)
- Wednesday 9 December and Thursday 10 December 2015: A14 eastbound junction 29 (Bar Hill) to junction 31 (Girton) and M11 southbound junction 14 (Girton) (pavement surveys and drainage surveys)
- Thursday 10 December 2015: A14 eastbound junction 30 (Dry Drayton) to junction 29 (Bar Hill) (pavement surveys and drainage surveys)
- Friday 11 December 2015: A1 northbound and southbound Buckden to Alconbury (pavement & drainage surveys)
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.
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.