Good progress being made on Chowns Mill improvement works

Good progress is being made on the Chowns Mill improvement works.

The £24 million improvement scheme started in February and is set for completion winter 2021/22.

An update sent out by Highways England on the project says: "During November and early December, we made good progress and completed installation of the first layers of road surfacing to the new carriageway formation and footways on Station Road (A5028), Higham Ferrers and the A45 westbound.

"We have also made good progress on the verge works to either side of Station Road (A5028), this will allow us to bring forward some of our planting works, originally schedule for the end of the scheme, to January.

"We will be planting 160 native tree and plant species, including Field Maple, Hazel, Hawthorn and Blackthorn."

The site is shut now until January 4 for Christmas.

The update from Highways England says its main work for early New Year will centre around the arrival and use of a piling rig, which is needed to bore holes around the junction to support the information gantries.

To allow the piling work to be carried out safely, they will close various approaches of the A6/A45 at night in the New Year.

These closures have been agreed with the local authority and Rushden Lakes shopping centre and will take place in early January.

But aside from the roadworks, the A45 Chowns Mill Team has also been helping out in the community in the run-up to Christmas.

They helped spread some Christmas cheer to those in need by donating more than £3,000 worth of items to the Irthlingborough, Raunds and Rushden food banks.

Donated items included 500 tins of tuna, 120 jars of cooking sauce and 200 packs of custard and jelly and rice pudding.

In addition, the workforce donated hundreds of pounds worth of toys, warm clothing and baby clothes and equipment, which the Rushden-based East Northants Community Service will ensure reaches the families most in need.

The team has also been working with Higham Ferrers Town Council by loaning them a large electronic display board, which is situated outside the Town Hall over Christmas.

Provided by Chevron Traffic Management, the board displays rolling messages wishing residents a Merry Christmas, promoting local shopping and urging people to stay safe.

If anyone has any issues or concerns about the improvement project over Christmas, they can call the Highways England 24/7 customer line on 0300 123 5000.

The scheme to re-design the busy Chowns Mill roundabout where the A45 meets the A6 is set to take 22 months to complete.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive.

We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you