Isham's despair at junction roadworks bedlam

"It's been bedlam."

The view of people in Isham who are in despair at roadworks which are causing huge queues through the village.

Station Road has been closed and temporary traffic signals have been in place on the A509 since mid-January. The temporary lights - which are in action 24 hours a day - have led to massive tailbacks and left those living just yards away fed up.

Workers have been widening the road to replace the mini-roundabout at the Station Road junction with traffic lights. The work is part of a £6m package of highways contributions from developers DB Symmetry, as part of the huge nearby Symmetry Park warehouse development.

But those living nearby say the traffic light roadworks are giving them a headache - and they don't even think they'll benefit in the long-term.

Graham Rait, who lives in Middle Street, has lived in the village for 39 years and has spent decades campaigning for a bypass. He cannot understand why the traffic lights are being installed.

He said: "What is the point in it? There has never been a problem with traffic getting from the A509 to Station Road and vice versa.

"The biggest queue I have ever seen in Station Road is four cars. What is the justification for spending all this money and causing all this disruption?

"I've not seen congestion this bad."

The roadworks have seen queues form up to the A14 on the Kettering side of the village and up to Hilltop Road on the Wellingborough side. Some motorists have reported their journey from Wellingborough to Kettering taking more than twice as long at peak times.

Beverley Ryan lives in Minstrel Close, just off the A509, and said the smell of fumes from vehicles queuing outside has been noticeable.

She said: "It's been bedlam. It's really affecting the village.

"I think what they are doing is only going to cause bottlenecks."

The junction is being altered as work continues on the Symmetry Park development just to the north, which will eventually create 2,000 jobs.

Donna Allmond has lived in Kettering Road for 13 years and fears the traffic build-up from the current roadworks will be replicated when the warehouse park is open.

She said: "It's a lot worse than it's ever been and it's not going to get any better with this warehouse park.

"Traffic has got to come from somewhere and it's not all going to come from the A14. It's going to back up here more and more."

As part of the warehouse park approval a 1km stretch of the A509, between the A14 and the site's access, will be come a dual carriageway. Should the Isham bypass ever finally be built it would be connected to the initial dualled section. Some Isham residents feel this would make the traffic lights being installed at the Station Road junction unnecessary. Those in favour of the scheme say it will improve traffic flow and provide a pedestrian crossing.

One resident in Fairfield Road, the closest street to the roadworks, said they could not see how the new junction would improve things.

The resident, who did not want to be named, said: "That queue (at traffic lights) is always going to extend past our street. I do not get it.

"The traffic in the roadworks has not been good. There's a queue most of the time in the day."

Work is expected to take place until April - but North Northamptonshire Council say they are working to see what can be done to accelerate the scheme.

A council spokesman said: “Our Highways services are required to facilitate planning-approved development, in order to provide the additional infrastructure that has been determined as necessary for a development.

“The works at Station Road, Isham, have been designed and are being constructed by the commercial developer to mitigate the impacts of their development and improve the junction.

“The works, when complete, aim to improve traffic flows and also provide pedestrian crossing facilities.

“We are currently working with the developer to see what can be done to accelerate their highways works and reduce the impacts on the village.”