A trial project aimed at tackling long-standing problems of maintaining roads which run over Fenland soils has been backed.

The Fen Roads Trial, proposed by Cambridgeshire County Council, has so far been supported by both the Combined Authority’s Transport and Infrastructure Committee, and the Investment Committee.

The £1.5 million trial proposes to test innovative solutions to help keep the roads in good condition for longer.

The Combined Authority Board will be recommended to approve the trial at its meeting on November 13.

In the transport and infrastructure committee meeting on Monday November 4, they heard a separate report on work to investigate the cost of maintaining and upgrading roads which run on fen soils.

This economic impact assessment work would sit alongside the Fen Roads Trial as part of works to improve how those routes are managed.

According to a committee report on the trial, more than 40% of Cambridgeshire’s roads lie on peat-based soils, which expand and contract significantly as they become saturated and then dry out.

Warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers are becoming more frequent with climate change, resulting in higher levels of road damage.

Cracking on routes is posing a particular danger to road users and some well-used routes now require traffic management, speed limits and safety signing to help make them safe.

The proposal is to trial solutions on the same stretch of road and compare their performance.

Potential trial sites are:

• B1104 Prickwillow Road, Isleham

Proposed trial methods include:

  • Excavate and fill using a lightweight recycled fill product.
  • Deep soil stabilisation for underlying soil (peat in this case) up to five metres below the existing road level.
  • Ex-situ recycling, creating a flexible road. This approach treats the road itself like a quarry, breaking down the existing surface and using every bit of it to build a brand new one.

The Combined Authority added that the trial can also be used to support bids to Government for funding for Fen roads.

Work to begin the economic impact assessment will start within this financial year.