Nottinghamshire will benefit from £24 million of government
funding, providing vital junction upgrades along an 18-mile
stretch of the A614 and A6097 to slash journey times and provide
a major boost to the local economy.
The upgrades will take place along the main north-south local
route through the county, and will support the construction of
1,330 new homes by boosting access to development sites. This
includes 800 new homes at the Thoresby Colliery development,
where the works will also support new jobs, as well as a new
primary school, shops and leisure facilities and a local
community centre.
The congestion-easing scheme will also dramatically improve
access for millions of visitors to key local tourist attractions,
including Sherwood Forest, Clumber Park and Rufford Abbey, all of
which are major contributors to the local economy.
The announcement comes as the government continues its drive to
build back better from the pandemic and level up transport links
to boost regional economies right across the country.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:
Road-users in Nottinghamshire deserve quicker, easier and better
journeys, and I am all too aware of congestion issues along this
key route.
Our multimillion-pound investment tackles the issue head-on. This
scheme will dramatically cut congestion, support the construction
of more than 1,000 new homes and provide a real boost to the
local economy as we build back better from the pandemic and level
up transport for everyone across the country.
Councillor , Chairman of
the Economic Development and Asset Management Committee, said:
This ambitious £28.6 million project has been a top priority for
the County Council for some time and I am delighted to see that
it is now all systems go.
The scheme will support planned housing developments along the
route in Bilsthorpe, Ollerton and Edwinstowe, reduce peak period
traffic congestion for the benefit of commuters and local
businesses, and improve road safety for all users.
I would like to thank all of those people who have been involved
in the recent consultation activity and helped us to get to this
point.
Works will see important upgrades made to 6 junctions along the
route to ease congestion, including new traffic signals at Kirk
Hill, a new junction at Mickledale Lane, bigger roundabouts at
Lowdham and Ollerton, as well as an improved gyratory at Warren
Hill.
It’s not just motorists who will benefit from the works.
Pedestrians and cyclists are also set to enjoy safer journeys
with new toucan crossings at Ollerton and Lowdham roundabouts,
supporting those who opt for more active forms of travel as we
also build back greener.
The total cost of the scheme comes to £28.6 million, with
Nottinghamshire County Council providing the remaining funds
following the Department for Transport’s multimillion-pound
contribution.
Today’s announcement is the latest boost for transport in the
region, following £169 million being invested from the
government’s Transforming Cities Fund into public and sustainable
transport infrastructure throughout Nottingham and Derby.
