BARRIER PROJECT

A1 St Neots/Eaton Ford Noise Barrier

Improving quality of life for local communities

In 2025/24 we successfully delivered a new noise barrier alongside the A1 near Eaton Ford, Cambridgeshire, helping to reduce traffic noise for residents. We worked in collaboration with National Highways and installation specialist Versco to install the noise barrier. Being in a Noise Important Area, but working at night due to traffic management restrictions, foundations were made by Continuous Flight Auger piling, a relatively quiet solution. The piles consisted of a 2.5m long steel foundation post bolted to the 3.0m long steel fence post; these were embedded within concrete which was pumped from the carriageway. The plate and bolt arrangement between foundation and fence post making it easily serviceable in future.

A total of 1068m noise barrier (357 bays) was installed to programme, achieving the deadline of the financial year. The barrier was completed on Friday 28 March, with the delivery team returning on Monday 31 March to do some minor landscaping works.

Before construction began, we supported a public information event, giving local residents and road users the opportunity to learn more about the project, its benefits and the planned road closures. Throughout the works, we listened to community feedback and adapted our programme.

Overcoming Challenges

As with many infrastructure projects, we encountered several challenges along the way. Early in the programme, we discovered previously unrecorded drainage infrastructure beneath the existing barrier, requiring us to redesign and replace the drainage system before installation could continue. We also carefully adjusted the barrier alignment to accommodate nearby utility services while maintaining the overall design intent.

Working at the bottom of a batter in winter to replace a defunct drainage system didn’t lend itself to record breaking outputs! Ground conditions slowed the progress of an activity that wasn’t originally planned for. To overcome the issues created by a sodden embankment, a Menzi Muck spider excavator was brought in. It is a specialised piece of machinery designed for working in challenging terrains. It’s known for its unique “spider” leg system that allows it to navigate steep slopes, rugged landscapes, and areas inaccessible to conventional excavators.