Council apologises after reconstruction of A6 Wilstead Bypass is delayed

This stretch of road was originally built in the 1970s, but had become too dangerous for normal road use after its foundations had collapsed.

Since the council and the contractors carried out on-site testing the existing pipe system was found to be "not fit for purpose", and in a far worse state than initially thought.

The wrong type of pipe was used in the original construction and there were unsealed joints between the pipes.

This means the ground has been saturated with water over the years which caused movement in the road and the large cracks that had been appearing in the road surface.

As a result, the design has had to change to ensure the strength of the new road foundation, with more failed material having to be removed than was expected, and more extensive repairs to the drainage system required.

This extra work means the whole project will take longer, with an expected completion date of the end of March 2020.

A Borough Council spokesperson said “We apologise for the inconvenience these extra works and resulting delays will cause to residents who use this stretch of the A6 and who live in nearby villages.

"A leaflet has been delivered to residents in the area to make them aware. It is crucial that we do this job right and that the repairs to this road are fit for the long-term future.”