The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Flooding threat to key road
There are fears that flooding has caused serious damage to the B1040 Whittlesey wash road. The key route to Peterborough has been closed since before Christmas.
There are fears that a major road linking Whittlesey to Peterborough could be damaged after being submerged under flood water for three weeks. The B1040 Whittlesey wash road has been closed since before Christmas afterheavy rain caused flood plains surrounding the carriageway to become submerged.
The flood waters have started to recede in recent days revealing cracks in concrete sections of the road - prompting fears that heavy damage may have been caused.
Bosses at Cambridgeshire County Council said the road could require a substantial clean- up but added it was too early to say whether it had any structural damage.
A council spokesman said: “The last time the road was floodedtherewasnostructural damage, butwecan’tsayforcertain what condition it’s in until all the flood water has cleared.
“If there are cracks alongside some the edges then these can be patched up.
“Once the water has fully receded then we will check the roadagain. Untilthattimeitwill remain closed.”
The lengthy closure has irked many people according to councillors in the town.
Kay Mayor, the Mayor of Whittlesey, said: “It’s been like living by the seaside recently.
“Theroadis a mainroutefor many people travelling into Pe- terborough and if the flooding has damaged the road then we are looking at more problems.
“The land beside the road is floodplain so we accept that when it rains heavily this will happen, but it is becoming a major issue.
“I’m concerned that businesses are going to be put off frominvestingandcreatingjobs in Whittlesey as a result.”
GarySwan, councillor for St Mary’s Ward in the town added: “People have had enough, it’s taking them an hour to do a seven mile journey.
“We have talked about possible solutions and are going to start lobbying for it.
“There has been talk of a bypass aroundthetownorevenof raising theroad, butthoseideas could be too expensive.”