Drivers face 9 nights of closures on A1 near Peterborough this month as work to repair fatal crash site begins

Motorists using the A1 near Peterborough face 9 nights of closures as work to plan future culvert replacements gets underway.

The survey work will take place on the A1 between Wansford Interchange and junction 17 between Saturday, June 13 and Monday, June 22.

The southbound carriageway of the A1 at Water Newton was damaged in November 2024 during a fatal crash involving an agricultural vehicle.

The crash caused significant damage to the Billing Brook culvert, leading to the nearside lane being closed for nearly a year.

Repairs at the site have been complicated due to Billing Brook running into a Site of Special Scientific Interest and local archaeological factors, including a nearby historic Roman town.

National Highways told the Peterborough Telegraph last month that that work to permanently repair the damaged culvert will not start until 2027.

When will the A1 be closed due to the survey work?

The first phase of closures will take place over two weekends; Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, June 14 and Saturday, June 20 to Sunday, June 21.

During these two weekends, the A1 southbound between Wansford Interchange and Alwalton will be closed between 9pm and 5am.

Then, between Monday, June 15 and Friday, June 19, the A1(M) northbound from junction 17 (Fletton Parkway Interchange) to Stibbington will be closed overnight.

Will there be a diversion?

National Highways has confirmed five diversion routes for motorists wanting to travel south on the A1 while the overnight closures are in place.

The diversions are as follows:

• leave the A1 at Wansford Interchange and follow the A47 eastbound
• at Thorpe Wood Interchange, take the third exit onto the A1260 (Nene Parkway)
• at Hampton Roundabout, take the third exit onto the A1139 (Fletton Parkway)
• re-join the A1(M) at junction 17 to continue southbound
• to access Water Newton, join the A1 northbound and use the crossover