Emergency road closure on West Banks, Sleaford

Western Power Distribution (WPD) has requested a road closure between Sainsbury’s and Watergate, to allow them to carry out the engineering works.

According to Lincolnshire Highways, town centre access will be via Grantham Road and not Castle Causeway – only Sainsbury’s can be accessed from the Castle Causeway end.

WPD are placing signs on Grantham Road and Southgate alerting drivers to the closure.

Traffic will be diverted via Grantham Road, Southgate, Northgate, Lincoln Road, Holdingham Roundabout, A15 southbound and Grantham Road. Resident access will be maintained at all times.

Western Power Distribution says the work is to secure the electricity supply to more than 1,600 homes.

To enable staff and contractors to work safely on the 100m section of cable, part of the carriageway near Sainsbury’s has been closed. To ease the effects of the closure, sections of the road are being restored as soon as engineers have finished in that area.

It is expected the work will be completed by Tuesday February 7 at the latest.

Rob Ballentine, WPD’s Grantham Team Manager said: “Our aim is to keep disruption to an absolute minimum and we have been liaising with Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways Department to agree a programme that creates the least traffic disruption.

“Local businesses and residents are aware of the work and we apologise for any inconvenience it causes.”

The diversions will coincide with another planned road closure announced by National Grid to replace a gas pipe on Grantham Road, between Northfield Road and the A15 from Sunday February 5 for three weeks. This will see traffic heading out of town diverted via London Road and Silk Willoughby onto the A15.

Highways officials do not envisage this second road closure having any further negative impact on traffic flow in the short term.