Motorists warned of major delays as work to build new Peterborough footbridge to begin on Monday

Work to build a new Peterborough footbridge over a parkway will begin on Monday.
Work is due to begin on MondayWork is due to begin on Monday
Work is due to begin on Monday

National Highways will begin the £5 million scheme to replace the current bridge, which spans the A47 near Longthorpe, on Monday.

The new structure will maintain safety for vehicles travelling underneath the bridge, as well as pedestrians and cyclists using the footway to cross the A47.

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Modern, up-to-date access ramps either side of the new bridge with reduced gradients will help to further improve accessibility for local residents.

To prepare the area for the construction of the new footbridge, traffic management needs to be installed on the road to allow workers to build the bridge safely. To do this the A47 will be closed overnight from 8pm to 6am, between Sutton Roundabout and junction 18 on:

Monday 25 October – Eastbound - Eastbound traffic will be diverted along the A1 southbound to junction 17 where it will join the Fletton Parkway/A1139/Frank Perkins Parkway before re-joining the A47 at junction 20.

Tuesday 26 October – Westbound - Westbound traffic will be diverted from the A47 at junction 20 via the A1139/Frank Perkins Way/Fletton Parkway, then onto Nene Parkway before re- joining the A47 at junction 15.

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The traffic management will reduce the A47 to one lane in each direction between junctions 15 and 16, and will remain in place for the entirety of the seven-month project. It is estimated the works will likely add 15/20 minutes to driver’s journeys.

There will also be the need to close the A47 between junctions 15 and 16 for whole weekends, Friday night to Monday morning, several times, with the first full weekend closures to start in early 2022.

Christopher Eglinton, National Highways Project Manager, said: “This new footbridge over the A47 at Longthorpe will help improve accessibility for local residents making it easier to get to schools, hospitals, sports fields, shops and homes without using a car. It is a key part of the improvements we are making along the A47 to help make the region a better place to live, visit and do business in.

“We appreciate that roadworks can be disruptive, and we are working hard to keep any disruption to a minimum. The current footbridge will remain in place until we’ve completed the installation of the new one, with major construction work planned during school holidays where possible to allow all students to still get to and from school.”

The new footbridge will be:

30 metres in length, similar to the previous bridge

3.5 metres wide

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Access ramps either side of the bridge, with a gradient of no more than 1/20 or 5% to improve accessibility.

5.8 metre head room between bridge and road to ensure compliance with latest road standards.