More work set for Scole bypass

Further repair and investigation work will be carried out on the dual carriageway A140 Scole bypass over the next few weeks because of the deterioration of the concrete road surface.

FURTHER repair and investigation work will be carried out on the dual carriageway A140 Scole bypass over the next few weeks because of the deterioration of the concrete road surface.

Over the last few weeks the county council has carried out urgent repairs at a number of points on the road resulting in traffic delays at peak times.

Although some lane closures were due to be lifted this week, further closures will be necessary to allow further investigations and minor repairs to be carried out. Motorists are asked to take particular care because the lane closures are subject to change as work progresses.

A more lengthy slow lane closure will be required in the near future on the approach (northbound) to the roundabout at the Dickleburgh end of the dual carriageway. This is to allow a full-depth structural repair of a larger area of the carriageway. More information will be issued when the timing of this work has been agreed.

The A140 Scole bypass is now nearly 12 years old, having been completed in 1996 when the A140 was a trunk

road. Since then it has

been 'de-trunked', with maintenance responsibility within Norfolk passing from the Highways Agency to the county council.

A council spokesman said the repairs require quite lengthy lane closures because low winter temperatures extend the time it takes

even for fast-setting

concrete to reach full strength. For this reason, lanes often have to stay

closed for several days after concrete repairs have been made.