A decision has been made to temporarily close Upware Road at Upware Bridge to protect public safety, due to the condition of the highway and the underlying structure.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly, and while we appreciate the significant disruption this closure is causing, particularly for local families, businesses, farmers, and organisations that rely on this route, it is necessary to prevent injury or damage.
Works have previously taken place on this section of road, but a recent assessment has indicated that the current issue extends beyond a surface-level highway defect.
The council has commissioned ground investigation works, which are essential to establish the precise extent and nature of the failure beneath the carriageway and to better understand the condition of the surrounding highway.
The results will provide the engineering evidence needed to develop and assess repair options, determine the most appropriate solution, and prepare the detailed design and cost estimates required before construction can commence.
Whilst residents understandably wish to see repairs undertaken as quickly as possible, proceeding without a full understanding of the underlying conditions risks implementing a solution that does not address the root cause of the problem and leads to further issues in the future.
Once the survey information and core sample results have been analysed, we will be in a position to confirm the scope of the works and the programme for delivery.
Our ground investigations are due to be completed by Friday (2 October 2026), it will then take 4 weeks for the testing and survey results to be returned.
It is the council's intention to reopen the road as soon as it is safe and practical to do so. There are currently no proposals to permanently close Upware Road at this location.
The council continues to invest record amounts in road maintenance and has an annual prioritisation process for identifying roads for repair through its planned programmes of work. Unfortunately, due to a significant period of national underinvestment in road maintenance, the council's current road maintenance backlog is £800 million.
Upware Road is one of many roads around Cambridgeshire built over peat soils, and the cost of permanently repairing these routes is significantly higher. The council is working with local and regional partners to understand how to better repair Soil Affected Roads for the longer term.
