Latest update on A41 road closure

A41 update as of Friday 29 July at 3.40pm.

A41 scheduled to remain closed till mid-August, due to complexities around the removal of listed building.

Following the vehicle incident at Shakeford, Hinstock on the A41 this week, work is now being undertaken by the owners insurance company who are overseeing the operation to demolish a large section of the property.

However due to the conservation of the building, it cannot just be demolished with a crane or bulldozer and has to be done almost piece by piece while preserving as much of the materials as possible.

A demolition contractor is now currently working on a complex programme of work which is scheduled to start on Monday 1 August following essential health and safety checks.

Once the building is down, the impact of the crash on the cellar will be assessed as it appears  that the cellar wall on the road side is bulging, which could imply damage to the road.  This could result in reinforcement work being done to either the cellar or the road. This reinforcement work will need to be carried out before the road can be reopened, as the weight and pressure caused by opening a running lane for traffic, even under signals, could cause further damage.

The insurance company and the surveyor will continue to provide us with daily updates and have informed the council that the work will be done as quickly as possible but within the parameters of safety. Work will continue on the site after the road is reopened.

The current timescale for the closure is for mid-August but as soon as traffic lights can be installed to replace the closure they will be; however until the condition of the cellar is known, we cannot remove the closure.

We’ll provide further updates as and when work progresses.