Roman remains mean A1 lane closure at Peterborough will continue until the end of the summer after fatal lorry crash in November

The reason why a lane closure and temporary speed limit are still in place on the A1 at Peterborough more than four months after a crash that claimed the life of a lorry driver has been revealed – and it dates back hundreds of years.

On Friday, November 1 last year, lorry driver Daniel Casariu (43) from William Street, Luton, sadly died in a collision on the A1 at Water Newton near Sibson. Police said the tanker he was driving overturned in a field.

The crash, which happened at 2.40pm, saw the A1 closed throughout the rest of November 1 – and through most of Saturday, November 2.

At the time, National Highways said a lane closure put in place was set to ‘last for weeks,’ but more than four months on, the lane closure – and temporary speed limit – remains in place, and are set to stay in action for several more months.

Now more information has been revealed about the reason for the lengthy closure.

National Highways said that remains of a Roman town, located near to the crash scene, means extra work is needed to protect the site.

A National Highways spokesperson said: "This is a complex repair as the remains of a Roman town are located close to the damaged culvert and the site forms part of a Historic England protected area. Consideration also needs to be given to a Site of Special Scientific Interest downstream at Billing Brook.

“Design work is underway for a repair that won't compromise the historic and scientific nature of this area.

“We appreciate the inconvenience caused by increased journey times and would like to thank road users for their patience while we work to address this issue.”

It is planned that the carriageway will be fully re-opened – although under a temporary speed restriction – by the end of the summer this year, with full repairs set to be carried out in 2026/27