FENLAND: Forty Foot closed for part of next week as £350,000 safety scheme moves on
PUBLISHED: 20:42 22 May 2009 | UPDATED: 09:05 02 June 2010
A TREACHEROUS Fenland road will be closed during part of next week whilst work gets under way on a £350,000 safety scheme. Work will start on Tuesday on phase two of a scheme to install average speed cameras on the Forty Foot Bank Road, between Ramsey and
A TREACHEROUS Fenland road will be closed during part of next week whilst work gets under way on a £350,000 safety scheme.
Work will start on Tuesday on phase two of a scheme to install average speed cameras on the Forty Foot Bank Road, between Ramsey and Chatteris.
The road will be the first in the county and one of the first in the country to use the latest technology approved by Government.
Amanda Mays, Road Safety Engineering Team Leader for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "Unfortunately to carry out these works we have to close the road. We have done our best to plan these works in the school holidays to reduce disruption and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Initial works were carried out in March, including ground radar surveys and ground testing. The latest earth works, due, to start on Tuesday May 26, will be carried out at three locations along the bank
The scheme is designed to enforce the existing speed limit which will reduce differential speeds and overtaking along the Forty Foot Bank Road where many incidents have involved speed or motorists carrying out dangerous manoeuvres, such as overtaking, inappropriately.
Due to the unstable nature of the banks of the road the earthworks are being carried out in advance of the piling and foundation works and installation of the camera system itself later this summer.
The narrow road and large earth moving equipment required for the earthworks make it necessary to close the road during some operations.
The council says this phase has been programmed for the school holidays when there is traditionally less traffic using the road.
The closure will not be used during weekday peak hours when traffic flows can be high, so in order to minimise the duration some works will be carried out over the weekend to give a longer working day.
Closures will be in operation from Tuesday, May 26, weather permitting, and works requiring closure will be completed on Sunday, May 31.
Access for local residents will be maintained and signed diversions set up.