Petition - A343 Highclere

Thank you for your email of 22 July regarding the condition of the A343 between Highclere and Newbury, and the attached petition and comments.

Officers have been aware of the deteriorating condition of this stretch of road for some time and have been taking action to make temporary repairs in order to keep the road as safe as possible while considering treatment options, formulating scheme designs and securing road space for permanent repair works to be carried out. I am now pleased to be able to tell you that permanent works are scheduled to address all the defects along the length of road of concern to you, these will be carried out in two phases during August and October.

The first phase of the works started on 10 August, consisting of carriageway patching works between the junction with Foxes Lane in Penwood and the northern end of Highclere village, we will then move to the length of road between the southern extents of the village and the Crux Easton junction. All works will be carried out with overnight road closures and are expected to be completed on 21 August.

The second phase, for the stretch of road between the A34 and Penwood, resurfacing is provisionally scheduled for early October, officers are currently finalising the design and work schedule for this element of the repairs, but details of the extents and timings of these works will be shared with Councillors and the Parish during September.

Works to repair the Seven Stones bridge are programmed to take place in August.

I hope you find this information useful and are reassured that we have been working hard to arrange permanent repairs for the A343, but I am sure you will appreciate that works of this nature do take time to design and coordinate.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Adams-King
Executive Lead Member for Universal Services