Residents and businesses frustrated over extended Barton Road closure in Wisbech

Residents and businesses are feeling “frustrated” after a road closure that was supposed to have been completed is extended until the new year.

Barton Road, which is one of the main roads from Wisbech through to Wisbech St Mary, has been closed on and off for the last three years for work on a sewer underneath, and is hitting businesses and those living in the area.

With the new completion date put back to March 2026, how far can it test residents' and businesses' patience?

Barton Manor Care Home is among those that are being affected.

Sally Dowers, front of house manager at the home, said it is causing an impact on the residents as it is their view when they look out of the window. It is also affecting visitors and emergency services if they are needed at the home.

Sally said: “It is quite a long way round for visitors and any emergency services. It has a huge impact, as the roads leading to the parallel roads downwards are not great roads.”

She said the care home was originally told July would be the completion day for the work.

“We have had no one come and tell us exactly what is going on. It has been going on for a very long time now”, Sally added.

A couple who wish to remain anonymous moved into their house in Wisbech St Mary’s two and a half years ago, and have said that since living there, they have had no end of trouble getting to and from their house, as well as getting to town for work and leisure purposes.

The couple said: “We are having to use back roads and diversions, which is causing damage to our cars.

“We are frustrated and fed up with it, as it's agreed that it will finish at a certain time, but it never does. Now it is not going to be opening until the new year, it's just so frustrating.”

Bill Wells, who lives on Magazine Lane, said he is “very angry” and is at a loss as to why the repair is taking so long.

He said: “You could build a block of flats in that time, so why is the completion so far away?”

Kevin Ingman is another resident who is frustrated over the situation, and has said: “It really is a measure of the incompetence of the authorities to effect a repair on a broken pipe, particularly with today's technologies.

“Many vehicles have used North Brink past Elgoods brewery and then either Coxs Lane, Mile Tree Lane, and others through to Bevis Lane to get around the road closure

“These are all near enough single-track lanes, which have caused all sorts of problems, including a few fights when drivers do not give way.

“The lanes are in terrible repair; they will need a complete overhaul when Barton Road is finally open.”

He added: “Shops in Wisbech St Mary are suffering due to the long closure.”

Bisla Premier in Wisbech St Mary is being affected due to people not being able to use the main road that runs by the shop.

A spokesperson for the shop said: “Everyone relies on that road. The pass-through traffic is going down North Brink and Leverington Common now, which is crumbling to bits.

“Leverington is not made for big traffic. My little boy, last year, was on the Spalding bus, which went into the ditch with around six other kids, and that bus should not have even been on that road, but it was only on there because of the closure.

“Sooner or later, someone is going to get seriously hurt.”

The closure has made a “noticeable difference” to the shop, with fewer people apart from the regular nearby customers using the facility.

The spokesperson said there is a big difference as it loses £100 to £200 a day without its customers, as a high volume of its trade comes from people passing through the village.

“Why not work around the clock? Work overnight, get the teams down, reduce the time, and get the road back open.”

A spokesperson for Anglia Water said: “This is a complex repair and so following the initial phase of work, the site has now been handed over to Anglian Water and our @one Alliance partners to carry out the next phase of work and complete the repair to the sewer and reinstate the road.

“Currently, the road remains closed while our teams carry out investigations and prepare the ground for a full repair. This is a major job as the sewer is very deep and the surrounding ground is unstable, so we need to make it safe before the rebuild can begin. Our current road closure permit runs until March 2026, which is the timeframe we’re working to.”

Anglia Water is hosting a meeting on September 24 at 7pm at the Queen Mary Centre in Wisbech, where people can find out more information and speak to the project team directly.

The spokesperson added: “Our customer teams will also be keeping residents and road users updated as the work progresses.”