Corby traffic misery to continue as cycle lane work could now stretch into JULY

The work, which began in was due to be completed by the end of this month, will now not be finished for some months, North Northamptonshire Council has confirmed.

The £8.95m cycle lane between the town centre and Station Road was paid for by the Government’s Towns Fund, but has been heavily criticised by locals because of the initial lack of consultation over the scheme and the disruption caused by the construction. It is not yet known how this delay might impact the budget.

Work began in August 2024, and it looks like the project will now take nearly a year to complete.

Elizabeth Street has been fully closed and reopened several times during the works, which came at the same time that parallel George Street was legally closed to through traffic. It means that many vehicles have been unable to easily traverse the town centre, causing peak-time tailbacks in Oakley Road, Westcott Way and at junctions along the route.

Work has been completed in Station Road, East Avenue and Elizabeth Street and resurfacing on all these roads will be carried out when the weather is warmer and drier.

Along Oakley Road, all works between Station Road and St Marks Street junction and the railway track have been completed on the northern side.

The works on the southern (Tresham) side will begin once the scope of the tree removals works are determined. Other works along the Oakley Road continue, including the infill of the underpass.

Construction teams have also had to factor in extra work to fix issues at the footpath link between East Avenue and Wheatley Avenue, due to be carried out in the coming months.

These works include replacement signs and the installation of two sets of staggered barriers at each end to improve safety.

A North Northamptonshire spokeswoman said: “As with any major project, timescales are always indicative, and unforeseen issues can arise in complex projects of this type.

“There have been several issues outside the council’s control on the Corby Cycle route, including a burst water pipe and weather-related flooding on Oakley Road and unforeseen issues with utilities on Elizabeth Street and Oakley Road.

“We are continuing to make progress with the project, most recently with the reopening of Elizabeth Street. However, the issues we have faced have resulted in some delay to our programme of works.

"Resurfacing works along the route are now set to begin at the end of April, with construction on the project currently due to be completed in June/July, followed by a period of snagging and project demobilisation.

"Traffic restrictions will be continually reviewed within this period, and where safe to do so will be removed.

“Our teams are working hard to complete the project as efficiently as possible, with the programme being reviewed regularly to minimise disruption.”