Public meeting hears that Barton Road in Wisbech will be closed for at least another five months

A public meeting held last night over the continued closure of Barton Road in Wisbech heard that it should finally be reopened by April next year.

Representatives of Cambridgeshire County Council, Fenland District Council, Anglian Water, Cambridgeshire Police and Stagecoach were at the Queen Mary Centre to listen to public concerns, answer questions and help find a way forward.

The road has been closed completely or partially for nearly three years because of a collapsed sewer.

The meeting, which attracted a full house of around 200 people, was called by North East Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay, who said: “It’s clear that the situation on Barton Road cannot continue as it is, and I am committed to working with all parties to ensure progress is made.

“The ongoing road closures have caused considerable frustration and disruption for far too long.

Following the meeting, a Cambridgeshire County Council spokesman said: “Anglian Water are continuing to undertake major sewage works on Barton Road, in Wisbech.

“We know that the prolonged road closure and diversions that this has created are having a detrimental impact upon residents, businesses, and public transport in the area.

“As the Local Highways Authority, we are required to provide access when emergency repairs like this are being undertaken by utility companies and to ensure that public safety is prioritised while the work remains ongoing.

“The council recognises the concerns of the local community, and we are working to ensure the diversion routes are repaired as soon as possible.

“We will continue to work closely with Anglian Water and have urged them to expedite the repairs to enable the road to be reopened safely.”

Anglian Water estimates the work should be complete and the road finally reopened by Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

In a statement, the company said: “We heard the concerns loud and clear in respect of the disruption that our road closure is causing to people’s lives. We want to assure you that we will do everything we can to complete this work as quickly and safely as possible.

“We know Barton Road has been closed for some time, and we're really sorry for the disruption this has caused.

“A sewer has collapsed and the surrounding ground and road have been badly affected. From September 9, we took over the site to carry out the repair.

“Because of the ground conditions and the depth of the sewer, this is a complex job. The whole width of the road has been damaged and needs to be rebuilt.

“That means we can't safely keep the road open under traffic lights - a full closure for the duration of our work is the only way to do it safely.”

The company laid out how its work will progress, with teams working Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm with an additional 10 hours over the weekend:

October-November: Strengthening the ground so work can be carried out safely.

November-December: Building the structures needed for the sewer repair, before a major digging operation. To keep the team working inside the hole safe, strong temporary supports will be placed around the sides.

From December 19: Making the site safe before Christmas break - Barton Road will remain shut.

January to February 2026: Repairing the sewer and rebuilding the manhole.

February to March 2026: Rebuilding the road and footpath.