Whittlesey: Crash Barriers To Be Installed At North Bank

10 December 2013, 14:08 | Updated: 10 December 2013, 14:15

Peterborough City Council has confirmed crash barriers will be installed along a waterside road, where two people have died in recent crashes.

The authority says they will be put along the bend at Whittlesey North Bank as soon as possible. 

18 year old Hannah Yates, from Whittlesey, died when her car entered the River Nene, which runs alongside the road, on the 3rd November.

Last Monday, the body of 50 year old Keith Pettitt from Corby was discovered in a car which was submerged in the river.

Several other cars and vans have also skidded into the water recently.

The incidents led to calls for a safety barrier to be installed, as well as average speed cameras and better signage.

The speed limit on North Bank was also temporarily reduced to 40 miles an hour after the spate of cars leaving the road.

North Bank was closed this morning for tests to be carried out, to establish whether barriers could be installed along the road.

These tests have been completed, and the barriers are now set to be installed 'as soon as possible.'

Simon Machen, Director of Growth and Regeneration at Peterborough City Council, said "We have now re-opened the North Bank road after carrying out tests this morning to determine if installing barriers is technically feasible.

Our ground condition tests have confirmed that we can install barriers along the bend in the road and we are now working to install a scheme as soon as possible. 

The barrier will be around 250 metres long and will cost in the region of £50,000. 

This will be a standard safety barrier used on roads across the UK. 

We will need to close the North Bank Road again to install the safety barrier and we will advise you in advance when this will take place via our own website and through the media. 

The temporary 40mph speed limit remains in place and as with all roads we would urge people to continue to drive carefully and safely."