Kettering A43 northern bypass central barrier repairs to close road after driving instructors' campaign

A section of the central barrier of the A43 Kettering northern bypass has been coned off and speed restriction signs erected ever since a vehicle collision damaged the high-tension cables between the carriageways.

Since July, drivers using the A14 – A43 link road have had to slow down from 70mph to 40mph but local driving instructors have been frustrated by the signage and enforcement that has caused their pupils confusion and one to fail their test.

Driving instructor Fiona Clarke, owner of Driving With Fiona, who uses the road several times a day with pupils, has voiced her concerns over safety with learners driving at 40mph being passed by other motorists at speeds in excess of 70mph.

She said: “It's frustrating that such a busy and important stretch of road has taken more than four months to be repaired, leaving road users unsure about the safest way to drive down that section.

“Should learners abide by the signage – which has mostly fallen over or been removed – and feel vulnerable or keep up with the flow of traffic and risk getting a speeding ticket or failing their driving test?”

Ms Clarke, 57, who is the national deputy secretary for the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council, sought clarification from the Kettering Driving Test Centre as to the safest way for people taking tests to approach the stretch. It is believed at least one driver has failed their test as a result of being unsure of the speed limit.

She said: “I have to prompt them (the driver being tested) to discuss it with the examiner.”

Local driving instructors had put in a large number of online reports to North Northants Council to highlight the issue to the authority.

The road has now been scheduled for repair with a full closure planned for Monday, November 25 from 8pm to 6am on Wednesday, November 27.

Cllr Matt Binley, North Northamptonshire Council’s executive member for highways and travel, said: “We want the travelling public to be assured that plans are in place to carry out repairs on this busy stretch of our network and we’re working as fast as we can to get this done.

“The barrier was damaged in a collision on July 17 and immediately the site was made safe and a plan for repairs instigated.

“When the repair started and replacements posts installed, it was identified that some of the cable tensioning anchors also needed to be replaced.

“This equipment was ordered at the time and has now been received to enable the repair to be completed. However, as part of the repair the cables need to be re-tensioned from the railway bridge back to Junction 7 of the A14.

“To achieve this, a full road closure in both directions is required for safe working. The closure will have an impact on the A14 and, as it is managed by National Highways, we have been liaising with them to agree such road space bookings and give the appropriate length of notice.

“This closure to complete the repairs is now agreed with National Highways for November 25, with November 26 as a fall-back date.

“The speed limit has been reduced for safety reasons and temporary signage and barriers are in place to comply with safety and traffic management requirements. These are checked regularly.”