A1/A47 Wansford improvement work starts next week
A new congestion-busting road scheme to improve one of the busiest junctions in the East of England will start next week.
The A1/A47 Wansford interchange scheme which carries over 60,000 vehicles per day, will be improved with the eastbound A47 and A1 slip road widened and new traffic signals installed at the eastern roundabout. The changes will help improve traffic flow and safety for road users.
The £600,000 scheme is part of the Government’s £317million pinch point programme, which aims to boost local economies by reducing congestion and delays at key locations on the country’s major roads.
The work is due to start on Monday 12 January and will involve widening the A47 eastbound approach to and from the roundabout, widening the A1 exit slip road approach to the roundabout and traffic signals will be installed at the roundabout. Subject to weather conditions, the work is scheduled to last until the end of March.
The work will take place between 8pm and 6am from Monday to Friday with the odd weekend work.
Highways Agency Project Manager Martin Oliver said:
This is great news for drivers travelling on the A1/A47 as it will reduce the amount of traffic queuing from the A47 roundabout back onto the southbound A1.
By making these improvements we will reduce congestion on the A1 southbound carriageway in the morning peak and improve safety for drivers.
We have worked hard with Peterborough City Council and it’s contractor to ensure we can both deliver our schemes as efficiently as possible and minimise disruption to motorists in the local area.
The majority of the work will be carried out under lane closures or temporary traffic signals, with some work requiring overnight closures. During the overnight closures clearly signed diversion routes will be in place.
For A47 eastbound roundabout motorists will be diverted along the A1 northbound to Carpenters Lodge interchange before returning southbound on A1 to Wansford. For A47 westbound roundabout the diversion will be along the A1 southbound to Stibbington interchange before returning northbound on A1 to Wansford.
For A1 southbound exit slip road motorists will be diverted along the A1 southbound to Stibbington interchange before returning northbound on A1 to Wansford. For the entry slip road motorists will follow the A1 northbound to Carpenters Lodge interchange before returning southbound on A1.
The pinch point programme was developed with Local Enterprise Partnerships, and each of its 123 road improvement schemes is designed to boost local economies, reduce congestion and improve safety on the strategic road network in England. It is part of the Government’s long term economic plan, and was announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement in November 2011.
The work is dependent on suitable weather conditions and dates may be subject to change.
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