Latest news with #MartinFellows
BBC News
4 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Closures planned to move pump after A421 flooding in Bedfordshire
Work to move a pumping station that flooded, causing a major road to become completely submerged, is entering its final phase.A section of the A421 in Bedfordshire was closed for nearly three weeks after torrential rain in September.A number of road closures will be in place during the summer as engineers move the pump system uphill. What happened to the A421? One of the key east-west routes linking the M1 near Milton Keynes to the A1 near Cambridgeshire was closed for three weeks in September after severe levels of up to 8ft (2.4m) were recorded on the stretch at Marston Moretaine, and National Highways teams cleared 72 million litres of equipment was used to clear the water - the equivalent of about 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools - before work began to resurface and repair the Fellows, regional director for National Highways, said: "I think it's important to recognise the disruption and inconvenience this issue has caused to drivers, local residents and those that rely on this section of road." Why did it flood so badly? Firstly, the region experienced extremely heavy rainfall in a very short space of time. In Bedfordshire, a month's worth of rain fell in under 46 and schools were closed and homes and businesses the A421, the pumping station at Lower Shelton - designed to prevent the road from flooding - became submerged and stopped could not remove the rising water, which settled like a lake under a bridge and across a significant stretch of carriageway. What is happening to the pumping station? National Highways decided to move the pumping station to a higher position to avoid the risk of future flooding."Relocating the pumping station to higher ground and the installation of a new pump will help prevent emergency road closures on the A421, benefiting road users and the local community," said Simon Amor, head of scheme began in February to replace the control system, which involved building new foundations further up the bank.A temporary safety barrier was erected on the eastbound entry slip road to allow the work to be carried out. What road closures are in place this summer? As workers install the new control system, a slip road onto the A421 will be closed to allow them to operate eastbound entry slip road at Marston Moretaine will be closed from 20:00 BST on Monday, 28 July through to 06:00 on Thursday, 31 same section will be closed during the same hours from Monday, 4 August to Thursday, 7 wanting to enter the A421 eastbound from Beancroft Road are asked to travel westbound along the A421 towards the M1 junction 13, then turn and head back in the easterly signs will be in Highways said once this phase is complete, they will need to close the A421 eastbound carriageway "to allow for safe removal of old equipment".This date will be confirmed nearer the time. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Orwell Bridge works set to finish early
Construction work on the Orwell Bridge is set to finish two weeks ahead of schedule. National Highways has been replacing expansion joints since June, and the work has caused severe delays and congestion for some drivers near Ipswich. However, National Highways said the essential project had "progressed very well and ahead of schedule". Martin Fellows, the company's director of the east region, added: "It is very much weather dependent, but we aim to remove the contraflow in the next few days and fully open the bridge to traffic by the end of next week." Some road closures will still be in place ahead of the finishing date. On Saturday, the A14, between junctions 58 and 56, including junction 56 entry slip road, will be closed overnight, from 20:00 BST to 06:00 in the westbound direction, towards Cambridge. National Highways said there would be overnight closures in the eastbound direction between junctions 55 and 57, towards Felixstowe, from Sunday to Tuesday. It added that it would begin the process of removing the contraflow system and to get the road fully open by the end of next week. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Orwell Bridge work to finish early, says National Highways
Construction work on the Orwell Bridge is set to finish two weeks ahead of Highways has been replacing expansion joints since June, and the work has caused severe delays and congestion for some drivers near National Highways said the essential project had "progressed very well and ahead of schedule". Martin Fellows, the company's director of the east region, added: "It is very much weather dependent, but we aim to remove the contraflow in the next few days and fully open the bridge to traffic by the end of next week." Some road closures will still be in place ahead of the finishing date. On Saturday, the A14, between junctions 58 and 56, including junction 56 entry slip road, will be closed overnight, from 20:00 BST to 06:00 in the westbound direction, towards Highways said there would be overnight closures in the eastbound direction between junctions 55 and 57, towards Felixstowe, from Sunday to added that it would begin the process of removing the contraflow system and to get the road fully open by the end of next week. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Next stage of Orwell Bridge closure delayed
The next stage of roadworks planned for the Orwell Bridge has been put back a day after road users reported "major delays" on the A14.A summer of various closures is planned for the Orwell Bridge, near Ipswich, as National Highways works to replace two expansion eastbound carriageway has been reduced from two lanes to one over the past couple of days, resulting in lengthy delays for users. National Highways planned to close the westbound carriageway on Thursday, operating a contraflow system on the two lanes of the eastbound carriageway, but now says this will happen overnight on Friday. Martin Fellows, regional director of National Highways in the East of England, said: "We are now planning to put the contraflow in place overnight on Friday 27 June."It will be fully operational in both directions for 6am on Saturday morning."The work is expected to cost £6m and once replaced the joints will last for 50 the contraflow system was set to take place from 26 June to August, with one lane open in each direction, 24/ Fellows added: "We will be working around the clock, including weekends, to carry out the work as quickly and as safely as possible." National Highways said the A14 was still the best route to take and encouraged drivers not to divert on to local roads near it did warn to allow for more time when making journeys. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Work starts to reduce speed at A120 near Harwich
Work has started on reducing the speed limit on an A-road that has seen a high number of fatal Highways said the £2.6m project aimed to make the A120 in Essex safer. There were four fatal crashes recorded on the road near Harwich in part of the improvements, sections of the road will have their speed limit reduced from 60mph (97km/h) to 50mph (80km/h) between Horsley Cross and hope to complete the project by autumn 2025 and parts of the road are due to close between 21:00 and 05:00 on weeknights only. Martin Fellows, National Highways regional director for the eastern region, said: "Safety is and always will be our number one priority, and that is why our ambition remains that no-one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads."Work is due to include installation of the new speed limit signage and six new average speed information about diversion routes has been posted on the National Highways website. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
