A14 Overnight Road Closures Begin

26 January 2015, 11:15 | Updated: 26 January 2015, 11:19

Overnight closures continue as work progresses on the A14 Junction 7 to 9 improvement at Kettering, Northamptonshire.

A series of overnight closures are planned on the A14 as part of the ongoing scheme to add an extra lane between junction 7 and 9 at Kettering, Northamptonshire, from Monday 26 January.

The closures, which take place on a number of nights between now and April, will enable contractors to change the current road layout so they can start lighting and drainage works in the central reservation.

A 24-hour 40mph speed limit will remain in place which will be enforced by average speed cameras. This will remain throughout the works until completion of the scheme, which is expected to be in Spring 2015.

Highways Agency Project Manager Mary Chatfield said: "We’ve planned the work very carefully to create as little disruption as possible. I urge all road users to adhere to the speed limits and the traffic management which we have put in place both for their own safety and the safety of our road workers. Drivers should plan their journeys, allowing extra time if necessary, and be aware that the road layout is changing."

The following closures will be in place between junctions 7 and 9, weather permitting:

Full closure of the westbound carriageway for three nights from Monday 26 January.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for two nights from Thursday 29 January.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for 5 nights from Monday 02 February
Full closure of the westbound carriageway for one night on Thursday 19 February.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for one night on Friday 20 February
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for five nights from Monday 23February.
Full closure of the westbound carriageway for two nights from Thursday 5 March.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for two nights from Saturday 7 March.
Full weekend closure of the westbound exit slip road at junction 8 from 8pm on Friday 13 March to 6am on Monday 16 March at 6am.
Full closure of the westbound carriageway for two nights from Sunday 29 March.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for two nights from Tuesday 31 March. 
Full closure of the westbound carriageway for three nights from Tuesday 7 April.
Full closure of the eastbound carriageway for two nights from Friday 10 April. 

 Closures take place between the following times:

•           Monday to Friday – 8pm to 6am;

•           Friday to Saturday –8pm to 8am;

•           Saturday to Sunday –8pm to 9am and

•           Sunday to Monday - 8pm to 6am

During the closures through traffic will be diverted off the A14 at junction 7 and along the A43 and A6116 to re-join the A14 at junction 12, or vice versa.

The A14 is an important road that connects the M1 and M6 motorways in the Midlands with the A1, the M11 and the east coast ports near Felixstowe. Because of its links with the port, it is part of the Trans-European Network. The section around Kettering suffers from congestion and poor journey times daily. By improving this section the Highways Agency aims to create smoother and more reliable journeys, contribute to the region's economy and to allow for the increased demand in the area that will occur as a result of the Government's Growth Agenda to develop 40,500 homes in the area.

Further information about the project is available on the scheme’s website at: http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a14-junctions-7-9-kettering-bypass-improvement/