Sinkhole closes busy city road in both directions

A main road into a city centre has been closed in both directions after a sinkhole opened up.

Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called to Milton Road in Cambridge at 15:39 BST on Monday.

Cambridgeshire County Council said the road was closed between Mitchams Corner and the Elizabeth Way roundabout in both directions. Highways teams are working to investigate the cause.

The road recently underwent a multimillion-pound redevelopment which featured pedestrian crossings and a dedicated cycle lane.

People are advised to check before travelling.

A spokesperson for the county council said: "The road will be repaired as quickly as possible and reopened as soon as it is safe to do so."

An Anglian Water spokesperson said it was aware of the sinkhole and that it had attended the site.

"Initial CCTV inspections have not identified any issues with our network at this location, and our findings so far suggest that recent works in the area are not connected to this incident," they added.

"We will continue to support the ongoing investigation alongside the highways authority, with safety remaining the priority.

"We're also working with partners on site to minimise disruption for customers and the local community."

The £31.9m scheme to update the road was managed by the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership (GCP).

"We completed our Milton Road upgrade project in 2024," a GCP spokesperson said.

"Once complete, the scheme was handed over to Cambridgeshire County Council to manage and maintain."

Conservative city councillor Delowar Hossain, said: "I got a phone call yesterday and someone told me there was a big hole."

He said he estimated the sinkhole went "down about two or three metres" and that he had asked contractors to "close the road properly for safety".

Sarah Payne, 83, who lives on Milton Road, said the sinkhole was "a bit of a shock".

"Millions of pounds were spent on the upgrade and there has been a whole lot less traffic actually," she said.

Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.