Newmarket Road to close to traffic for a week

Newmarket Road will be closed for a week from 8pm tonight (Friday, March 26) for an underpass to be installed as part of the Chisholm Trail.

The underpass will allow the Chisholm Trail to link from Ditton Meadows to Coldhams Common.

Newmarket Road will be closed until 6am on Friday, April 2 in order for the works to be completed safely.

When completed the underpass will mean those using the Chisholm Trail will not have to use a pelican crossing to cross Newmarket Road.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership hoped work to upgrade the jetty path linking Stourbridge Common with Ditton Meadows would have been completed before the road closure took place, so that cyclists and pedestrians would be able to use this as a diversionary route.

But heavy rains made it difficult to work on the jetty path site and led to stronger river flows, so it will not be open. Work is continuing and it is expected to reopen later this spring.

A diversion via Coldhams Lane and Barnwell Road will be in place during the closure and a separate diversion will be in place for cyclists across Coldhams Common.

A separate, signed diversion route for cyclists and pedestrians is planned across Coldhams Common, with a free shuttle bus for pedestrians who are unable to use the diversion.

Westbound departures from the Abbey stadium car park on Newmarket Road will depart on the hour and 30 minutes past the hour.

Eastbound departures from the Honda Garage on Newmarket Road opposite Swann’s Road will depart at 15 minutes and 45 minutes past the hour. The bus will operate 24 hours a day for the duration of the closure.

Stagecoach buses that use Newmarket Road will be diverted and the bus stops on Newmarket Road between Coldhams Lane Junction and the McDonalds roundabout will be temporarily suspended.

The Abbey Chesterton Bridge and Chisholm Trail is a joint project between the Greater Cambridge Partnership and Cambridgeshire County Council.

The trail will create a mostly off-road and traffic-free route between Cambridge and Cambridge North stations.

For more information, visit greatercambridge.org.uk/chisholmtrail.

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