The temporary cameras on both sides of the A1260 Nene Parkway will be in action from Monday, September 15, to coincide with the start of surface engineering works on Nene Thorpe Bridge.

Peterborough City Council contractors are carrying out waterproofing and road resurfacing work in the latest stage of a £1.86 million scheme to strengthen the bridge.

The cameras will be in place for the duration of the operation, which is expected to last four weeks, and will include narrow lanes and a reduced speed limit.

Chris Northrup, of the Cambridgeshire Safety Camera Partnership, said: "It's more or less a foregone conclusion that where there are roadworks involving a narrowing of the carriageway, there will be cameras to enforce the speed limit.

"They are being installed to protect the workforce to allow them to do their jobs in safety."

Repairs began earlier this year on the bridge, which spans the River Nene, Nene Valley Railway and a section of Nene Park, after safety inspections revealed that parts of the structure were corroded.

City council engineering experts warned the bridge might need to be replaced completely if the repairs were not carried out.

When the resurfacing work gets under way, traffic will be slowed to 40mph.

A council spokesman said: "The safety cameras are being installed for a four-week period, commencing Monday, September 15.

"This is for safety reasons and a mandatory requirement when narrow carriageway lanes are introduced to carry out roadworks.

"The carriageways over the Nene Thorpe Bridge are undergoing bridge joint replacement, re-waterproofing of the bridge deck and resurfacing of the carriageways.

"These works are part of the overall bridge refurbishment works, the majority of which are being carried out underneath the structure.

"The overall scheme is programmed to be completed during January 2009."

The resurfacing work coincides with an ongoing road-widening operation on the A1139 Fletton Parkway, where similar lane narrowing and speed restrictions are in place, near the junction with the A1260. Further works are being planned at the Thomas Cook roundabout, where the Nene Parkway joins the A47, for traffic lights to be installed at the end of next month.