New Potton Road bridge won't open until 2027 after problem found with concrete deck

National Highways has explained why motorists are being routed around the new B1046 Potton Road bridge rather than over it following recent roadworks.

Many residents had expected the new bridge to open following the recent closure of Potton Road, during which part of the original road was removed. However, when the road reopened, motorists instead found a new alignment taking traffic around the bridge.

National Highways, which is delivering the works as part of the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet scheme, has now confirmed that a problem discovered with the bridge's concrete deck means it cannot yet be brought into use.

Routine quality checks during construction identified small surface cracks in the deck, approximately one millimetre wide.

National Highways says the cracks do not affect the structural safety of the bridge, but the concrete does not meet the quality standards required for its long-term durability.

Engineers have therefore decided that the entire bridge deck should be removed and replaced before traffic is allowed to use it.

The problem is said to be confined to the deck, with the bridge beams and supporting abutments having been assessed and found to be structurally sound.

Work to remove the concrete will begin on Monday, 5 October, using hydro-demolition – a process which uses high-pressure water to remove the deck while protecting the structural elements beneath it.

That work is expected to be completed in early December, after which a new bridge deck will be constructed, surfaced and connected to the road.

National Highways now expects the bridge to open to traffic by April 2027.

It says the additional work will not affect the opening of the new dual carriageway and has confirmed that the cost of replacing the bridge deck will not fall on taxpayers.