East of England Roadworks update: Monday 23 – Sunday 29 November

NEW WORK

M11 J8-J7 – EMERGENCY RESURFACING WORK
Work will begin on Monday 23 November to resurface sections of the M11 between Junction 8 (Bishop’s Stortford) and Junction 7 (Harlow) to improve safety and prolong the life of the carriageway. Work will take place overnight and is expected to last for four nights. Lanes 1 and 2 of the southbound carriageway will be affected, with a lane closure covering a maximum distance of 4km on any given night.

A12 INGATESTONE, ESSEX – ESSENTIAL BRIDGE MAINTENANCE

Maintenance work to the Trueloves Bridge at Junction 13 Ingatestone bypass will begin on Monday 23 November. The work involves the bridge, which carries the B1002 over the A12 being supported temporarily while concrete repairs are carried out to the bridge piers and bearings replaced. The work will be carried out 24 hours a day, with the southbound carriageway reduced from three lanes to two. A 50mph speed restriction enforced by safety cameras, will be in place throughout the duration of the work. At various times, there will only be one lane open in each direction between 9 pm and 5.30 am. In addition, the B1002 over the A12 will occasionally be closed overnight with a clearly signed diversion route in place. The work is due to be completed by the end of March 2010.

A14 JUNCTIONS 36 TO 45, SUFFOLK – A14 CORRIDOR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEME

A safety scheme to install fibre optic cables providing drivers on the A14 with real-time traffic information via electronic overhead signs, has now reached the second phase, following work in Northamptonshire. Starting this month (November) work is being carried out in Suffolk between A14 Junction 36 (west of Newmarket) through to Junction 45 (Bury St Edmunds) with overnight infrastructure work; laying cables and installing platforms on the verges. The work will be carried out overnight with some lane closures from 8 pm until 6am. On 23 November the A14 eastbound lane will be closed between junction 35 and 36. On 24 November there will be one lane closed westbound between junction 41 and 40. On 28 November the A14 eastbound lane will be closed between junction 36 and 37. On 29 November the A14 eastbound lane will be closed between junction 41 and 43. A temporary 50mph speed limit will be in force for the safety of the workforce and road users. The expected completion time for this phase of works is Summer 2010.

A421 (BEDFORD)-M1 J13

Part of the A421, from the Marsh Leys Junction to the A6, will close overnight from 7 pm Saturday 28 November to 9 am Sunday 29 November to enable work to lift the beam ends at Marsh Leys Railway Bridge. It is part of the on-going construction work for a new eight mile dual carriageway on the northwest side of the existing A421 between M1 Junction 13 and the Bedford Southern Bypass. Diversions via the A6 will be signposted. (See the end of this release for details of the complete scheme)

A1308 (FORMERLY A14) HAUGHLEY– RESURFACING WORK

A 1.5km stretch of the A1308 Fishponds Way between the Tothill Interchange and the Bury Road Roundabout at Haughley (a section of the former A14 dual carriageway) will be resurfaced from 27 November, prior to the road being de-trunked. The work will involve the closure of both east and westbound lanes for three nights between 8 pm and 6am, and is expected to be completed by 2 December. A diversion will be in place during these periods, with eastbound traffic from the old A14 (Tot Hill) joining the new A14 at the Tothill Interchange, and being directed along the A14 to Junction 50 where it will exit and take the A1120. Traffic will then be directed along the A1308. All westbound traffic will follow the same diversion in the opposite direction. A 24-hour petrol filling station on the A1308 will be unavailable during the period of the work.

ONGOING WORK

M1 JUNCTIONS 10 TO 10A SPUR LUTON – REPAIRS TO NEWLANDS ROAD BRIDGE

Work to renovate the bridge over Newlands Road on the M1 spur near Luton, began on Thursday 17 September. The work involves replacing the bridge parapets and carrying out drainage and resurfacing work. While the work is being carried out two lanes will remain open in both directions during peak hours until the work is completed in spring 2010. There will be lane closures during offpeak hours and a 40 mph speed limit will be in force throughout the works. There will also be overnight closures of Newlands Road between Slip End village and the A1081 London Road on occasion during the winter months. Drivers using the M1 spur, particularly those travelling to Luton Airport, should allow extra time for their journeys.

M1 MILTON KEYNES – OVERBRIDGE PARAPET REPLACEMENT

A £2m scheme to improve safety on three overbridges on the M1 between Junctions 14 and 15 near Milton Keynes started on Monday 6 July. The scheme involves replacing the reinforced concrete parapets with metal railed parapets on Tongwell Lane Bridge, Green Farm Bridge and Newport Pagnell Farm Access, all of which carry public footpaths. Work is being carried out on the overbridges between 7.30 am and 4.30pm Mondays to Fridays. Both Tongwell Lane and Green Farm bridges will be partly closed with public access maintained. Work on the Newport Pagnell Farm Access bridge is now complete and the bridge is fully open. The work is expected to be completed by December 15.

M11 JUNCTION 8 - 9 MAJOR MAINTENANCE SCHEME

A £10m scheme to improve safety on the M11 between Junction 8 (Stansted Airport) and Junction 9 started on Monday 9 November. The work involves replacing nearly five miles of concrete carriageway to provide a smoother low-noise surface, which will also reduce surface water spray. The existing central reservation barrier will be replaced and improvements carried out on the safety fencing and to the drainage system. From Monday 9 November work will be carried out on the southbound carriageway only, switching to the northbound carriageway in January. The work is expected to be completed by March 2010. During the day two lanes will be kept open in each direction, with contraflow running and a 50 mph speed restriction in place. Overnight work will take place on week nights between 9pm and 6am, and on Friday and Saturday nights between 9pm and 8am. The carriageway will be reduced to one lane only on some nights. While the work is taking place wide vehicles, those with a width greater than 3m, will not be able to use the M11; there will be a clearly signed diversion route in place via the A120, A10 and A505.

M11 CAMBRIDGE JUNCTIONS 11-12 SURVEY WORK

A drainage survey being carried out on the M11 between Junctions 11 and 12, started on Monday 16 November and will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am Mondays to Thursdays, and between 9pm and 6.30am on Friday nights until it is completed in the first week of December. There are lane closures on both the northbound and southbound carriageways with disruption to traffic expected to be minimal.

M1 J10 TO J13 BEDFORDSHIRE – ADVANCE WORK ON HARD SHOULDER RUNNING SCHEME

Advance work on the hard shoulder running scheme to reduce congestion and improve safety on a 15 mile stretch of the M1 in Bedfordshire began on Tuesday 4 August. The work will strengthen and upgrade the existing hard shoulders so they can be opened up to heavy traffic as additional lanes when hard shoulder running is operational on the M1 in early 2013.

On Wednesday 12 October work began to clear the vegetation from the embankment of both the southbound and northbound carriageways on the M1 near Luton to allow access to parts of the embankment so that maintenance on the drainage system can take place in the new year. The work between Junctions 10 and 11 began on 12 October, and is continuing weekdays between 8am to 6pm for about two weeks. It is due to finished by the end of November. When this section is complete work will transfer to the remainder of the motorway between Junctions 11 and 13. An ecological survey has been undertaken to ensure that only that vegetation which impacts on the hard shoulder running scheme is removed. The work has been planned to take place outside of the bird nesting season. Some sections of the hard shoulder will be closed to facilitate the work. No other impact on traffic is expected

From Monday 21 September work to strengthen the embankments started between Junctions 12 and 13. It involves implementing narrow lanes and a 50mph speed restriction on the southbound carriageway only. The remainder of the M1 between Junctions 10 and 13 will not be subject to narrow lane running.

To limit any delays to road users, three lanes will be kept open to traffic in both directions during peak time hours between Junction 9, south of Luton, and Junction 14 (Milton Keynes). A 50 mph speed restriction will be in place throughout the work for the safety of road users and road workers.

Drivers using the stretch of the M1 between Junction 10 (Luton) and Junction 13 (Bedford) will experience some overnight lane closures on both the northbound and southbound carriageways. The Highways Agency will also be carrying out some essential resurfacing work, in order to reduce the need for further lane closures in the future.

As part of the scheme, the Highways Agency will also upgrade Junctions 11 (Dunstable) and 12 (Toddington).

A1 EATON SOCON BYPASS RESURFACING WORK

Work on the northbound carriageway of the A1 Eaton Socon bypass started on Monday 9 November following completion of the resurfacing on the southbound carriageway. The work involves repairing and resurfacing a 3-mile stretch of the A1 from the A428 Wyboston Junction to Hail Bridge, just north of the B645 junction at Hail Weston. It is due to be completed, weather permitting, before Christmas. Work will take place every night and during the day at weekends as follows:

Monday to Thursday nights: 8pm – 6am

Friday 9pm through to Monday 6am.

Northbound traffic will be diverted off the A1 at Wyboston onto the A428 to the B1040 and the A1198 to join the A14 at Godmanchester. Westbound A14 traffic will then stay on the A14, with northbound traffic rejoining the A1 at Alconbury.

A11 BARTON MILLS TO RED LODGE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

A scheme to improve safety at the Herringswell Road junction began on Monday 9 November. The scheme involves installing Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) on the A11 northbound and southbound verges to advise drivers of the approaching central reserve crossroads layout and the likelihood of vehicles crossing the A11 at this junction. The work will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am and is expected to be completed by 4 December. Lane 1 of both the northbound and southbound carriageways will be affected while the cabling and loops system is installed and new road markings painted. A 50 mph speed restriction will be in place. There will also be closures of the central reserve gaps on the A11/C576 Newmarket Road and the A11/C623 junctions from mid October.

A12 HATFIELD PEVEREL TO WITHAM IMPROVEMENT SCHEME

A £6.8m scheme to improve safety and tackle congestion on the A12 between Hatfield Peverel and Witham South began on Tuesday 3 November. The work will provide an additional lane southbound between the two junctions, which will assist drivers joining and leaving the A12 at these junctions. In addition the existing carriageway will be resurfaced, additional street lighting and road signs will be installed and maintenance work to Woodend Bridge will also be carried out. Two lanes will be maintained in each direction throughout the day, with overnight lane closures between 8pm and 5am on weekdays, extended to 8am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. A 50mph speed limit will be in place. There will also be occasional overnight slip road closures with clearly signed diversion routes.

A14 BURY ST EDMUNDS WESTBOUND SLIPROAD RESURFACING

Work to improve safety on the A14 at St Saviours Interchange (Junction 43) began on Thursday 19 November. The work involves resurfacing the eastbound on slip road and the westbound off slip road over four nights between 8pm and 6am. There is no work carried out during the weekend. While the work is being carried out overnight, these slip roadswill beclosed in phases, along with one lane on the main carriageway of the A14. Traffic wishing to join the A14 eastbound is being diverted along the A14 in the westbound direction to Junction 42, Westley Interchange, round the roundabout to rejoin the A14 in the eastbound direction. Traffic wishing to leave the A14 from the westbound direction is being diverted off the A14 at Junction 42 Westley Interchange, round the roundabout and rejoin the A14 in the eastbound direction.

A14 CAMBS/SUFFOLK BORDER MAINTENANCE WORK

Work to improve safety on the A14 westbound between Junction 40 (Higham interchange) and Junction 39 (Kentford interchange) began on Monday 9 November. The work involves renewing and replacing the drainage gullies on the westbound carriageway and will be carried out overnight between 8pm and 6am until the end of November. While the work is taking place lane one of the westbound carriageway will be closed between Higham and Kentford interchanges, with one lane entry onto the westbound on sliproad at Higham interchange.

A14 FEN DITTON TO NEWMARKET SIGNAGE REPLACEMENT

A scheme to replace damaged and missing signs on the A14 between Junction 34 (Fen Ditton) and Junction 37 (Newmarket) started on Monday 2 November. The work will be carried out overnight from Mondays to Thursdays between 8pm and 6am and between 9pm and 6am on Friday nights. It is due for completion before Christmas. Lane 1 of both carriageways will be closed at various locations while the work is being carried out to protect drivers and the workforce.

A14 HISTON/IMPINGTON EMBANKMENT REPAIRS

Work to repair the embankment on the A14 at Junction 32 (Histon/Impington) started on Monday September 29 and will continue until mid December. Drivers using this stretch of the A14 will be unaffected.

A47 KING’S LYNN – £1.2M SCHEME TO IMPROVE SAFETY

The A47 between East Winch and Pentney will be closed to through traffic between 8 pm and 6 am for up to 32 nights, except Sundays. During the closure period eastbound through traffic will be required to follow a signed diversion from the A47/A10/A149 Hardwick Interchange at King’s Lynn via the A10, A134 and A1122, rejoining the A47 at the A47/A122 roundabout at Swaffham. Similarly, westbound through traffic will be diverted from the A47 at the A47/A1122 roundabout at Swaffham, via the A1122 and A10 to rejoin the A47 at the Hardwick Interchange. During the closure period local traffic wishing to gain access to villages located between the Hardwick Interchange and East Winch, and between Swaffham and Pentney will still be permitted to use the A47.

A47 PETERBOROUGH – £1.8M BRIDGE REFURBISHMENT SCHEME

Major maintenance work to two bridges on the Bretton Interchange on Soke Parkway, Peterborough, started on Sunday 15 November and continues until March 2010. The work involves repairs to the bridge piers, replacement of bridge joints, realignment of safety barriers, and installation of a new drainage system. Lane closures are in place 24 hours a day on the A47 at junction 16 during the work, with two full overnight closures expected to be in January. During the closure drivers will be sent along a clearly signed short diversion route up and over the Bretton Interchange. A 50mph speed limit is in place for the safety of road users and road workers. As part of the scheme it will also be necessary to close Bretton Gate (the local road that the bridges carry over the A47) overnight on 27 November; clearly signed diversions will be in place. Drivers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.

A47 EAST OF PETERBOROUGH ROUNDABOUT REPAIRS AT EYE

Work to improve safety on two roundabouts east of Peterborough by removing surface rutting and cracking and restore the full skid resistance to the road surface began on Thursday 19 November. Work started on the A47/A1073 Eye Green Roundabout on Thursday 19 November for three nights between 8pm and 6am and is due to be completed on Monday, 23 November. Work on the A47/White Post Road junction will take place from Tuesday 24 November for three working nights between 8pm and 6am. While the work is being carried out on each roundabout traffic is being controlled by 3-phase signals, with lane closures on the A47 eastbound and westbound carriageways. During the Eye Green Roundabout work access to and from Crowland Road is being restricted, with traffic diverted along Thorney Road, High Street, Peterborough Road and the A1139 Eye Road back on to the A47. While the White Post Road roundabout work is taking place there will be no access to and from White Post Road north. Traffic will be diverted along White Post or Wolfehill Road, Green Road, Crowland Road and back onto the A47. The section of road between Eye Green Roundabout and Hodney’s Roundabout will be resurfaced, starting on Friday 27 November for five week day nights. Traffic will be controlled by traffic signals and convoyed through the works to provide safety for the workforce.

A421 (BEDFORD)-M1 J13

Major construction work to build the new eight mile dual carriageway on the northwest side of the existing A421 between M1 J13 and the Bedford Southern Bypass continues. Motorists are being warned to expect some disruption to their journeys until the improvements are completed in December 2010.

There is no right turn into or out of the Bedford Road (C280) at Marston Moretaine. The southern end of Lower Shelton Road is currently closed to traffic joining or leaving the A421 with a clearly signed diversion route in place.

M1 J13 Bridge Construction: Overnight slip road closures are currently in place to allow for the construction of a new bridge over the M1 and a new roundabout on the A421 at Junction 13. Closure times as follows:

9pm – 5am, Monday –Thursday; 11pm – 7 am, Friday; 9pm – 9am, Saturday;

10pm – 5am, Sunday.

These overnight slip road closures will be in place until the scheme is completed in December 2010, although no more than two slip roads will be closed on any one night. Advance warning signs will be displayed warning drivers of planned closures and diversion routes will be clearly signposted. A temporary 50mph speed restriction will be in place on the M1. Lane closures will be in operation but generally three lanes will be in use as the hard shoulder is being used as an additional lane. Approximately 1.25 miles (2km) of the M1 either side of J13 will be affected and these restrictions will apply 24 hours a day until the scheme is completed.

Partial closure of A421/B530 Roundabout (known locally as the Interchange Retail Park roundabout): Partially closed from Tuesday 24 March with no right turns to or from the westbound carriageway of the A421. Diversion routes will be clearly signed.

Work to upgrade the A6 roundabouts is complete. The traffic signals at Progress Park, Elstow Junction and Cowbridge Junction are now in operation. The signals at all three junctions will continue to be monitored and adjusted to ensure smooth running of the junctions which may take some time. Drivers, particularly HGV drivers, are asked to be aware of the changes and to take extra care.

Author: Lee Sibbald, November 23, 2009
Filed under: Traffic Information