THE next stage of work on the £8.7million Papworth Everard bypass begins on Monday when the B1040 will be closed to traffic. The road will be closed between the junction of Yelling High Street and the A1198 at Kisby s Hut, Papworth, for reconstruction, re

THE next stage of work on the £8.7million Papworth Everard bypass begins on Monday when the B1040 will be closed to traffic.

The road will be closed between the junction of Yelling High Street and the A1198 at Kisby's Hut, Papworth, for reconstruction, resurfacing, and culvert construction.

The road is due to re-open in October and a signed diversion route will be in place throughout the closure.

The scheme will relieve the village of through traffic, especially HGVs, and improve safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Currently, 13,000 vehicles per day travel through the village using the A1198 - of which approximately 10 per cent are HGVs.

The new bypass is expected to remove 60 per cent of the vehicles from the village roads.

The scheme involves the construction of a 1.7-mile single-carriageway bypass, which will branch off the existing A1198 at a new roundabout south of the village and curve to the west before joining the B1040 at a mid-way roundabout to the north-east of the Yelling junction.

Alex Alexander, project manager for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: "Anyone who lives or drives in this area knows how busy the road through Papworth Everard can get. The new bypass will relieve the village of much of this traffic, including heavy goods vehicles, and the road closure is a necessary part of the scheme.

"It is a major scheme and will inevitably cause some delays. We are asking motorists to avoid the area if at all possible and to take extra care when driving in the area.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused.