Ipswich Road - Safety concerns prompt work on wall overlooking A133 Ipswich Rd Roundabout

Brickwork defects identified by Essex County Council quality control in wall below Waitrose in Colchester to be rectified by contractor.

To ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians, Essex County Council has decided work is needed on the wall overlooking the A133 Ipswich Road roundabout in Colchester.

This work will be carried out by a contractor at no cost to Waitrose, Essex County Council or the taxpayer.

As part of quality control processes our inspection engineers have identified defects in the retaining wall brickwork below Waitrose which sits alongside the A133 roundabout.

These defects could be a safety issue and if not addressed could see brickwork failing causing a safety risk to the footway and highway below.

Cllr Lee Scott, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Sustainable Transport, said: “Our utmost concern is to keep motorists and pedestrians safe.

“That is why we have taken the decision to have work carried out on this wall. Nothing is more important than pedestrian and driver safety. I have insisted this work is carried out by the contractor at no cost to Waitrose, Essex County Council or the taxpayer.”

“We want to sort this out now before it develops into a more serious matter, and by acting now, it will stop the need for further works in the future. We can’t leave this.

“I have instructed this work to be completed with as little disruption as possible. However, some disruption is inevitable. I want this work to take place in the summer, which is traditionally a quieter time on roads, at a time which does not clash with GCSE examinations.

“I have also instructed my team to reach out to key businesses in the area, to keep them informed of the work at all times.

“I ask for patience and understanding. As always safety is our paramount concern, but we will do this job as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

The work on the wall will require one lane of the A133 Ipswich Road roundabout to be closed.

Traffic Management will be required on approach roads to the A133 Ipswich Road roundabout, however Essex Highways will take every action to minimise disruption.

These works are planned to start on Wednesday 29th June and the work will take approximately four weeks to complete.

Cyclist and pedestrian access on this section of road will not be affected by the lane closure.