Highways England is set to invest over £114 million into 150 road and maintenance schemes across the East of England it has been announced.
The strategic network and major A roads including the M11, A14, A1, A47 and A12 will all benefit from the planned package of enhancements, with road resurfacing, bridge joint replacements, the creation of cycle lanes, improved signage and landscaping all part of the plans.
In total, Highways England will invest in 150 schemes across Norfolk, Sussex, Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire.
Highways England’s regional director for the East of England Martin Fellows said: “Keeping our roads in good condition is essential for safety and in ensuring the reliability of journeys for drivers. This multi-million-pound investment will help keep journeys on our motorways and A roads flowing and reduce the risk of unplanned, disruptive maintenance. Over the next 12 months, we’ll be working hard to ensure drivers throughout the East enjoy a smoother experience while travelling on our roads.”
Highways England will begin work on their comprehensive maintenance programme in the coming months, with schemes including: the A14 Brickfield bridge-replacing the existing bridge joint bearings, carrying out concrete repairs, resurfacing the road and renewing the road markings; the M11 junction 11 Mill bridge-replacing four bridge joints, re-waterproofing the bridge deck and repainting the bearings; the A14 junction 32 Histon- replacing all road markings and studs where resurfacing has taken place, and the M11 River Granta bridge-replacement of two bridge joints, re-waterproofing the bridge deck and resurface.
This latest investment into the regions roads follows on from last year’s essential maintenance programme which saw Highways England pump £60 million into the completion of 140 road renewal and maintenance projects.
Throughout last year, Highways England laid more than 35,000 tonnes of surfacing material across the East of England. This allowed for 43 lane miles of resurfacing. A further 50,000 road studs were set into the region’s roads, helping to light up the way for drivers. Other improvements include: more than 80 traffic signs installed, 17 junctions improved, 16 bridge joints installed and 2.7 miles worth of cycle lane improvements.
