Three months of roadworks on Cambridge Road

By Robyn_Heard | Thursday, February 03, 2011, 17:07

Hertfordshire Highways is strengthening Walsworth Road Bridge on

Walsworth Road Bridge

the A505 Cambridge Road. Originally I assumed this was going to be the railway

bridge, but after a good look at the map of road closures and with some help from the guys on Twitter I realise I was incorrect and it is

the road bridge outside the Millstream pub.

Planned is a full road closure of the A505 around the Bridge,

starting at the St Michaels Road/Meadowbank roundabout continuing to the entrance

of the Millstream pub. However, pedestrian access over the bridge will be maintained

throughout the course of the works.

The road closure will take effect from the 28th

February and is expected to remain closed until 27th May.

A 10 mile signed diversion route will be in place taking

motorist through the town centre to Stevenage Road (A602) and then up to the A1(M).

Construction works will include; installing temporary arch

supports, deep excavations and construction of a reinforced concrete saddle

over the bridge. In addition, the existing parapets are to be removed and new upgraded

parapets installed.

This is obviously going to have a huge long term effect on

Hitchin as a whole. Access to the town via

the A602, which is already often gridlocked during busy periods, is only going

to get worse. Shops in the town centre

are also bracing themselves for a difficult three months due to people choosing

to shop elsewhere rather than take the 10mile diversion in to Hitchin.

Do you live near the bridge, or have concerns about the

implications of such a long period of road closure, if so please let us

know.

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Comments

I got pretty much the same response when I called to ask if their timescale was appropriate. I couldn't even get past the disinterested guy who answered the phone. He basically said that the timescale was the one that had been given to the project and no one would be in a position to tell me anything else. When I ask for an official quote about how confident they were that it would be finished on time he said "no comment"! Great! I am in the process of writing directly to the department involved to try to get to the bottom of it, although I won't be holding my breath. It is a shame people are driving through the barriers and an even bigger shame that a local resident was given no support or even a "thanks" for reporting the problem. I plan to write a full update using your information and any I can squeeze out of the Council as soon as I have something. Keep the on-site info coming though, it is great to hear first hand how things are developing.

By HitchinPeople at 18:43 on 01/03/11
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Well I just called Hertfordshire Highways to tell them that drivers are just moving their barriers and cones and just driving straight through the road closure. I was told that there was nobody to answer my concerns as everyone there had gone home. I informed them that I was no longer prepared to keep putting their barriers, cones and signs back and if there is an accident then it is their problem.
I have gone home too, but am unfortunate enough to live in their road closure. They didn't care one jot.

By Mark_Russell at 19:34 on 28/02/11
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Really?!? That is terrible that already they know the timescale is unachievable! I will contact the council and see what they have to say about the timescale and how realistic it is in light of this information.

Thanks!

By HitchinPeople at 20:49 on 27/02/11
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I live the Millstream pub (that still irks me that the landlord lost 100 years of history by taking away the pubs historical nautical name...) side of the roadworks.

Local residents this side have actually talked to the engineers who will be doing the work, and they tell us there is no way this work will be finished in 3 months. They estimated that 6 (YES SIX!) months is a far more accurate time-frame.

By Mark_Russell at 18:16 on 27/02/11
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I live near the bridge but on the other side of the roadworks to the town so getting my daughter to the girls school is going to be a real pain. This might be a good time to dust off her bike!

Those of us this side of the roadworks can always turn right at Woolgrove Road to get to town though.

By johnnyb41 at 11:14 on 18/02/11
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