A long awaited scheme to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety at Norwood Road Bridge in March starts on Monday (July 23)

A 14 week project will be carried out in two phases. The first will have minimal impact on the road for around six weeks, but the second, starting around September 3, will see the road closed for about eight weeks.

Cambridgeshire County Council leader, Councillor Steve Count, said: “I am delighted that work will finally begin next week on a scheme that has been so eagerly awaited by local people.

“Their patience has been rewarded with the start date this July now confirmed. The benefit of this new footpath and cycleway on the safety of this area cannot be underestimated which is why I have pressed for it to happen for so long.”

Cllr Count saw the successful purchase of land from Network Rail, and funding agreed for the design and build of a new footpath and cycleway over the railway bridge.

The first phase of work on the narrow bridge will have temporary traffic lights on Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm, with occasional weekend working.

For the second phase the road will have to be closed. This is likely to be from Sept 3 but will depend on the weather and how work progresses.

Advanced warning signs will be displayed at least two weeks before the road closure and letters will be sent to very local residents.

Local people have known for decades the Norwood Road Bridge in March has presented an extremely dangerous situation to pedestrians due to the absence of a footpath on a narrow, steep, blind corner.

The agreed solution of all interested parties is the installation of a dual use cycleway/footpath and traffic light system before the bridge.

The announcement of the date is a culmination of a seven year campaign by Cllr Steve Count, which involved getting wasteland running alongside the bridge transferred to the ownership of the county council, securing funding for both a feasibility study and then £230,000 of project funding, plus the development of an agreed design for the work.

Cllr Count, in his role at the time of both a town councillor and Fenland District councillor, began work in 2011 to secure the ownership of the very small strip of wasteland which runs alongside the bridge, securing funds and getting an approved design drawn up to solve this situation.

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