Whittlesey: North Bank Barriers To Be Installed Monday

13 December 2013, 13:00 | Updated: 13 December 2013, 13:10

Peterborough City Council has confirmed that safety barriers will be installed at Whittlesey North Bank, where there have been two recent fatal crashes, on Monday.

The decision was confirmed at a meeting held last night between officers from Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council, and representatives from Fenland Road Safety Campaign.

The meeting was held to discuss and review safety issues on the road. 

18 year old Hannah Yates from Whittlesey died when her car veered into the River Nene, which runs alongside the road, on the evening of Sunday 3 November.

The body of 50 year old Keith Pettit, from Corby, was then found in a car submerged in water on Monday 2 December.

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

Tests were then carried out on the river bank next to the road between Peterborough and Whittlesey this week to see if the ground could support a crash barrier. 

The tests were successful, and the works have also been agreed with the Environment Agency. 

It is expected the barrier will take all week to install and the North Bank Road will be closed from 9.30am on Monday.

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

This will be paid for in full by Peterborough City Council. 

Simon Machen, Director of Growth and Regeneration at Peterborough City Council who chaired the meeting, said: "We want to install the barrier as soon as possible. 

Following our initial discussions with contractors it was agreed at last night's meeting that work would begin on Monday.

We're hoping to have a good run of weather to allow us to get the installation completed as quickly as possible and we anticipate the barrier will be in place on the bend by the end of next week.

We will investigate installing red reflective road studs and other appropriate measures around the bend and provide if we can in the summer. "

The feasibility of additional safety measures on the North Bank Road was discussed and this will be investigated by both the city council and the Fenland Road Safety Campaign. 

We will continue to work closely with the Fenland Road Safety Campaign group and monitor the impact of the measures we have introduced. 

We understand this was an emotive issue for many of the attendees at last night's meeting and we would like to thank all parties for their attendance and input into discussions." 

Peterborough City Council has confirmed a 40 mile an hour speed limit on the North Bank road will continue to remain in place for the foreseeable future. 

Vehicle activated safety signs along the road are being recalibrated to take into account the new speed restriction, with consideration to any permanent restrictions subject to support from Cambridgeshire Police.