Next Monday (10 August), Cambridgeshire County Council will begin work on an innovative trial aimed at tackling the long-standing challenge of maintaining roads built on peat and other weak soils.
The soil affected roads innovation trial is now entering its construction phase on the B1099 Upwell Road in March, Cambridgeshire, where a section of road near the junction with the B1098 (Sixteen Foot Bank) will be used to test a range of pioneering engineering solutions in real-world conditions.
The trial will explore new and more resilient ways of repairing highways affected by peat and weak soils – a significant issue across Cambridgeshire, where more than 1,800km of roads are built on challenging ground conditions.
Around 40% of Cambridgeshire is underlain by peat soil, (97% of Fenland but also significant parts of East Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire), making highway maintenance particularly challenging across the county.
Peat soils are prone to movement and settlement, causing roads to crack, sink and deteriorate more quickly than those built on more stable ground conditions. This is a significant additional maintenance burden that the Council must address from its overall budget.
Repairing roads affected by peat soils often requires deeper reconstruction work to ensure long-term stability, costing four to five times as much as conventional repairs, which can be delivered on non-peat soil affected roads to achieve the same performance life.
Working with Winvic Construction Ltd to trial new maintenance methods, the council aims to identify longer lasting and more cost-effective solutions that improve road condition, reduce the need for repeat repairs and minimise disruption for residents.
The construction phase will see a range of different innovative repair techniques employed along sections of the B1099, including deep soil mixing, chemical stabilisation and the use of alternative lightweight materials to strengthen road foundations.
In addition to the innovation trial works, Cambridgeshire County Council will be resurfacing a section of Upwell Road in March from the roundabout with Cavalry Drive to Binimoor Road. The works will take place from 10 August to 1 September, Monday to Friday, with a full road closure in place between 8am and 6pm each day. A signed diversion route will be available while the closure is in operation.
Each treatment area will then be monitored over a minimum 12-month period to assess performance and build a robust evidence base that will help shape future highways investment and maintenance decisions.
A number of community drop-in sessions were held locally ahead of the start of works, giving residents and businesses the opportunity to learn more about the trial and speak directly with project representatives.
Cllr Alex Beckett, Chair of the Highways and Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "Roads are vital to all of us. Whether it's goods and services being delivered, getting to work, or visiting family and friends, we all rely on them every day.
"Peat-affected roads are one of our biggest challenges, particularly across Fenland. They cost twice as much to repair and last less than half as long, That's a burden that's very hard to absorb from a standard highways budget and combined with decades of underinvestment have resulted in a £800m maintenance backlog across the county.
"This trial will properly test three different techniques on the same road, monitored over time, to find what works best on cost and longevity. We'll be learning from this and taking that evidence directly to government to make the case for a fairer funding settlement that reflects the unique challenges we face. It's all part of our drive to get Cambridgeshire's roads back on track."
The project is being funded through a £1.5 million grant from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).
The funding is supporting the trial of innovative engineering techniques designed to improve the resilience and sustainability of roads affected by weak ground conditions, helping the council identify longer-term highways maintenance solutions that enable people to connect to work, learning, leisure, retail and health services.
Paul Bristow, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: "I’m pleased to see the trial underway, as peat soils affect many roads across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. It’s essential that we find effective solutions to the challenges they create, from maintaining road surfaces to keeping them safe for users.
“Getting Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moving means investing in infrastructure that is resilient and fit for the future.
“By finding better solutions for roads affected by peat soils, we can reduce disruption, improve reliability and make the most of available funding by investing in approaches that deliver long-term results.”
The findings from the trial are expected to help shape future investment decisions and strengthen the council's case for a fairer funding settlement that reflects the unique challenges of maintaining roads built on peat soils.
Find out more information about the trial on our website: Soil affected roads innovation trial
