ONE of the key road routes into Sleaford is set to be closed for up to a week for repairs during the next month and town councillors are not happy about the congestion it may cause.

Highways officials are warning that Grantham Road will be closed while patching repairs are being carried out to the carriageway between Rookery Avenue and Northfield Road. The work will take place in March for approximately one week at a date yet to be decided. This would also prevent traffic entering and exiting Clay Hill Road and Ancaster Drive on that stretch of road.

There would still be pedestrian access and a gateman at each end would allow residents needing vehicle access to their homes.

The diversion route will be via London Road, Silk Willoughby, the A15 and Quarrington roundabout, and visa versa.

During this period there may also be the need for overnight closures of the A15 at the roundabout junction with the A153, as and when required.

Commenting on the proposed closures at the latest town council applications committee, Coun Mark Allan felt the county highways department was closing too many roads for repairs ‘willy-nilly’. He said it seemed to be for the convenience of the companies doing the repairs and not for the road users.

Mr Allen said: “Other councils seem to do these minimally.”

The county highways department says certain patches that need working on along Grantham Road are on the centre line, which means they would not have the necessary width to accommodate two-way traffic lights, so the raod has to be closed.

Some patches off centre will be repaired under two-way temporary traffic signals.

l Meanwhile a temporary parking ban on West Banks and Alexandra Road will be put in place on March 5 and 6 to allow for essential maintenance works by Anglian Water.

The A15 Bourne Road will be closed for road repairs from immediately south of the junction with Spring Lane in Folkingham to a point immediately south of the junction with Station Street, Rippingale. The road will be closed on Saturday and will reopen at approximately 5pm on Sunday.

The A15 traffic will be diverted via the A52 and B1177.