Inside the Queensgate underpass that will soon be sealed shut by 1,000 tonnes of concrete after nearly 50 years
The underpass dates back to the 1970s
Work to seal shut a heavily-used Peterborough city centre underpass with 1,000 tonnes of concrete is set to start within weeks, bringing an end to its use after nearly five decades.
The two subways underneath the Queensgate Roundabout are to be closed over the coming weeks as part of the £65 million City Link project to transform the Station Quarter.
From June onwards, work to pour 418 cubic metres of flowable concrete into structures around the subways at the west and south ends will commence.
As a result, the popular subway route will be closed to pedestrians after nearly 50 years.
It’s estimated that roughly 102 standard mixer trucks will be needed to bring the flowable concrete to the site.
The two subways, which date back to the late 1970s when preparatory works were being carried out for the new Queensgate Shopping Centre, connect Bourges Boulevard to Cowgate.
Once the subways have been filled in, pedestrians and cyclists will travel at ground-level to bypass the Queensgate Roundabout.
Peterborough City Council also plans to use 18 cubic metres of Sika Grout to top the surface of the subways once they are filled in.
Councillor Shabina Qayyum, leader of Peterborough City Council, said: "The site fencing for the trial holes will be set up at the end of May and we will be releasing information on the Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders for the lane closures on Queensgate roundabout in June.
"We will work together with our partners to ensure that any disruption to motorists, pedestrians/cyclists, local businesses and wider residents is communicated clearly and ahead of schedule.”
What is the Peterborough City Link project?
City Link, known as the Station Quarter regeneration project, will see a new pedestrian and cycle route built between Peterborough Railway Station and the city centre at Cowgate.
Work on the project started in February with the removal of 35 trees from the Queensgate Roundabout.
Aimed at improving connectivity between the station and city centre, the project will see 49 new trees planted.
During the first phase of the project, temporary traffic regulation orders and lane closures will be implemented on the roundabout to allow for large machinery and concrete works.