Gigaclear finishes broadband project in time for Christmas but road works set to continue into new year

Christmas is set to come early for more than 2,600 residents and business owners in Stansted as completion of a 21-month broadband installation project draws to a close.

In March last year, telecoms provider Gigaclear began work to install cable fibre optics throughout the village, extending its network from neighbouring Birchanger.

The programme of works has seen engineers move from street to street, digging trenches or using existing infrastructure such as poles or ducting to reach each property.

The roll-out formed part of the company’s £150m infrastructure investment in full-fibre broadband across rural Essex.

Senior project manager Vikki Ellis said Gigaclear was working hard to ensure rural communities such as Stansted, Elsenham and Henham could access the same fast and reliable full-fibre broadband enjoyed by larger, urban areas.

She said: “Taking our full fibre to rural communities that might otherwise have copper or an inferior part-fibre broadband connection fundamentally changes them for the better because it creates choice for the people in those communities about how they work and how they live their lives.”

But elsewhere in Stansted, disruption is set to continue as utility works spill over into the new year.

High Lane, which was closed to traffic for more than three months to enable Cadent to lay new gas pipes, has only just reopened.

The work was scheduled to finish after 83 days on October 19, but was extended until engineers finished on Friday (Nov 22).

But as one road opens, several others are closing, with three sets of road works affecting the village this week alone.

On Tuesday and Wednesday (Nov 26-27), Church Road and Lower Street will be shut by Essex Highways. Church Road is closed near its junction with Lower Street while the latter is shut up to the bottom of Grove Hill to enable maintenance work to be carried out.

Temporary traffic lights will be in operation on Chapel Hill from Wednesday to Friday (Nov 27-29) as Gigaclear’s broadband installation nears its conclusion.

Then from January 6, Lower Street will be closed for an estimated four weeks as Cadent continues its gas pipe installation. The company decided to hold off any pre-Christmas work so as not to disrupt festive trade for businesses along the street.

Residents have described the latest closures as “absolute chaos” and “complete and utter madness”.

Stansted parish and district councillor Geoffrey Sell said: “It’s a crazy situation where Stansted has been almost gridlocked as a result.

“I’m sure residents will be pleased to see the back of all these roadworks.”