THE final phase of works to help protect 11,700 homes and businesses in Wisbech against flooding will soon be underway. Flood defence improvement works on the town s South Brink are due to be completed later this month and the road will reopen on March 18

THE final phase of works to help protect 11,700 homes and businesses in Wisbech against flooding will soon be underway.

Flood defence improvement works on the town's South Brink are due to be completed later this month and the road will reopen on March 18.

North Brink will then be closed from March 19 through until mid-September to allow flood defences on the north bank of the tidal Nene to be improved.

Traffic will be diverted along Chapel Road to allow the piling rig to operate safely. The road closure and diversion is necessary because of the North Brink's narrow width along the affected stretch.

Businesses affected by the closure will remain open and pedestrian access will be maintained to the front of all the properties at all times.

Environment Agency Project Manager Andrew Usborne said: "The Environment Agency and members of the project team have worked directly with businesses and residents along the North Brink to ensure suitable access arrangements are in place. In addition, we have worked with Cambridgeshire County Council and the emergency services to create traffic management plans to ensure access for emergency vehicles.

"The Environment Agency understands these works will cause disruption and inconvenience to people living and working in the area but these flood defence works are vital to the continued protection of the town."

The North Brink flood wall works will include the driving of steel sheet piles into the bank, which will then be clad in concrete and bricks. A further length of wall will be raised by a couple of courses of bricks.

Wisbech flood protection scheme is being carried out by the Environment Agency in partnership with Interserve, EC Harris and Atkins. Contractors will be on site up to six days a week to ensure the work is completed as quickly as possible to minimise the length of time the road remains closed.

Mr Usborne said: "We would like to thank the people of Wisbech for their continued patience and understanding while these works are taking place.

"There has been a lot of interest in the town about the works. Members of the project team recently spoke to over 250 members of the public at an event we held to inform them about the works."

In addition to information about the flood defence works, the event, held in Wisbech Market Place in February, also saw more than 200 flood plans handed out to members of the public along with advice to enable them to prepare should the worst happen.