Press release: £61.4m roads package to keep drivers moving in the East of England

The work – the bulk of which starts this month – includes resurfacing, safety barrier and lighting upgrades, drainage maintenance and repairs and new signs and road markings on many of the region’s busiest roads. In particular, it includes:

• £3.4m for new noise reducing barriers at eight locations along the M40 in Buckingham and South Oxfordshire
• £3.1m for safety upgrades at the Hare Green Roundabout, Harwich Road junction on the A120 near Colchester
• £3.5m for major repairs to accident damaged bridges on the A47 Saddlebow interchange at King’s Lynn
• £1.9m for resurfacing on the A1 between Langford and Baldock
• £1.1m to repair a bridge on the A14 at Claydon
• £3.2m for resurfacing on the A11 between Besthorpe and Spooner Row

The work, which is all being carried out between now and next summer, is part of Highways England’s commitment to improve safety and ensure better journeys across the East region’s busiest roads. It will be carried out in phases across different roads to minimise its impact on people’s journeys.

Highways England regional Capital Delivery Team Leader Aran Nugent said:

This work will improve safety and provide smoother journeys for the millions of drivers that use our road network across the East of England every day.

We care about drivers’ journeys and we understand that roadworks can cause some disruption for drivers and local residents, so we have planned the work carefully and closely with local authorities, local parishes and other transport services to reduce its impact as much as we can.

While we are carrying out this essential work, I would urge motorists to plan their journeys ahead and allow extra time where needed.

The work has been planned as follows, weather permitting, and further details on each scheme will be made available in advance via Traffic England and local media to help people plan ahead:

Road*	Main activities	Expected dates
A12	Resurfacing, road markings, safety improvements, safety barrier repairs, traffic signals, bridge repairs, safety improvements	November 2017 – March 2018
A120	Slip road improvements, bridge refurbishment, signage improvements, safety improvements, lighting renewal, carriageway repairs, resurfacing	November 2017 – March 2018
A47	Bridge repairs, safety improvements, road markings, safety improvements, pedestrian warning signs, traffic signals, layby resurfacing, weather station renewal	Ongoing, completion by March 2018
M11	Resurfacing, drainage works, embankment repairs, barrier repairs, sign replacement	Ongoing, completion by November 2017
A14 (Suffolk)	Weather station relocation, signage improvements, safety improvements, lighting renewal, bridge repairs, concrete carriageway repairs, resurfacing	Ongoing, completion by March 2018
A14 (Cambs)	Resurfacing, bridge repairs, road markings and fencing	October 2017 – March 2018
A428	Signs and road markings safety improvements	January 2018
A1 / A1(M)	Signs and road markings, resurfacing, safety improvements, bridge repairs, weather station upgrade, electrical repairs, drainage repairs, technology improvements, upgrading street lighting to LED, vegetation removal, landscape improvements	Ongoing, completion by March 2018
M1	Resurfacing, bridge repairs, road markings, technology improvements, electrical repairs, upgrading street lighting to LED	November 2017 to March 2018
A421	Signs and road markings, electrical repairs, safety improvements	October 2017
A5	Signs and road markings, weather station upgrade, upgrading street lighting to LED, traffic signal improvements	October 2017 to March 2017
M40	Noise barrier installation at seven sites along the M40; technology renewal at three locations in Buckinghamshire	January 2018 – March 2018

*Each activity is at specific locations along the road, not along the whole road unless otherwise stated.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.