Noisy night-time Kettering roundabout roadworks have left us feeling like zombies, say neighbours

Neighbours living a stone’s throw from a pothole-plagued Kettering roundabout say noisy overnight resurfacing work has left them feeling like zombies.

The A43/Rockingham Road roundabout surface had been crumbling for some time and highways workers began work to fix it during the last week of July.

But those living in nearby Malvern Close said the first they knew about the scheme – which involves 25 nights of overnight work until August 23 – was when a letter from North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) dropped through their door an hour after they first heard noise.

NNC say they are trying to contain the noisiest activities to the more reasonable hours of the evening and that advance warning signs were put up.

Ian Hunter, whose home boundary is just 5m from the carriageway, said: "If you watch a movie and want to know how the zombies feel, come and live in our house for a few nights."

Mr Hunter said residents have had to put up with banging noises through the night, the sound of chainsaws, beeping and an increase in vehicle horns.

He said vibrations made china on his shelves shake and likened the rumbling sound to an earthquake, adding that one night he was so angry he went outside at 12.50am to confront the site supervisor.

Mr Hunter said: "For the odd day one could probably adjust but seven nights straight of road rolling and planing and whatever? Nah, that's not on."

In one email complaint he said being told about the work on the day it started was unacceptable and said he lived in “Kettering United Kingdom, not Red Square Moscow”.

Mr Hunter’s wife Sandra added: "I think we will all be a street full of zombies before long.

"We can't sleep as it's just too noisy. It's ridiculous."

Neighbour Steve Ekins, who lives a few doors down, said they had no prior notification of the work taking place.

He said: "We just cannot get to sleep."

Cllr Matt Binley (Con), NNC’s executive member for highways, travel and assets, said the work will significantly extend the life of the road and reduce the occurrence of potholes forming for several years, adding that they have already received positive comments about it.

He said: “This roundabout is a key interchange on the local road network and the scale of works being undertaken is such that it cannot be done whilst traffic is using the roundabout.

“The impact of doing the works during the day would cause disruption to traffic and local residents with significant congestion of traffic over a wide area and associated pollution.

“This would have knock on effects on residents and local businesses commuting, deliveries and appointments, as well as the diversion of large levels of traffic along routes that are not suited to such traffic loads.

“Whilst it is appreciated that the noise is disturbing residents in the immediate vicinity, every effort is being made to complete the works as quickly as possible and to contain the noisiest activities within more reasonable hours of the evening.

“Advance warning signs were put in place to give early notice and the works were also listed on the One Network online information site.”