The Infrastructure Team are the essential enabler to ensure the success of the economy which includes the provision of improved/new physical transport infrastructure.
To meet our agenda for a ‘prosperous’ Nottinghamshire, we’ve developed an ambitious road and rail infrastructure investment programme within our economic transition plan. This plan will improve access to jobs, services and facilities as well as helping our businesses move goods more efficiently, which is central to our economic recovery and the national levelling up agenda.
Here are some of the major road schemes the team are currently working on:
A614
In June 2021, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed approval of the outline business case that sees £24.34m of funding allocated to the Council for a major scheme to improve the road network along the A614 and A6097 corridor between Ollerton and East Bridgford.
This is a five-junction improvement scheme, including:
- Ollerton roundabout
- Warren Hill
- Whie Post roundabout
- Lowdham roundabout
- and Kirk Hill junction
In June 2023 Nottinghamshire County Council announced a further £10.8 million investment into the scheme partially to fund further design improvements following consultation feedback and in part to mitigate an increase in project costs due to inflationary pressures within the construction sector at this moment in time. The total scheme costs are estimated at £34.4m for construction, land, preparation, and supervision costs associated with the project.
The Compulsory Purchase Order and Side Roads Order were confirmed by the Secretary of State on 22 January 2024.
The Council is currently completing the Full Business Case to be submitted to the DfT end of March 2024.
The original DfT funded scheme included Mickledale Lane Junction at Blisthorpe, however, this was dropped and will now be solely funded by NCC as approved by Cabinet in June 2023. Design work is underway looking to signalise the existing junction at an anticipated cost of £5m.
The expectation is that construction will commence later this year, with completion by Winter 2026/27
Design details & scheme updates: A614 junction improvements | Nottinghamshire County Council
A46 Bypass scheme
This is a National Highways lead scheme, which the Council is supporting.
In March 2020, the government’s second Road Investment Strategy included a commitment for National Highways to improve the A46 ‘Trans Midlands Trade Corridor’ between the M5 and the Humber Ports, to create a continuous dual carriageway from Lincoln to Warwick.
The A46 around Newark-on-Trent is the only remaining single carriageway section of this key strategic trunk road. The scheme will widen 6.5km of the existing single carriageway section to provide two lanes in each direction between Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts. The scheme aims to deliver reductions in congestion and improve journey time reliability.
See below the scheme design map which has been updated from the preliminary designs following responses from the public consultation which took place Oct-Dec 2022.
National Highways are now finalising detailed designs, assessments and plans to submit within their Development Consent Order to the Planning Inspectorate.
Scheme Design map: a46-newark-bypass-scheme-map.pdf (nationalhighways.co.uk)
Further information and updates: A46 Newark Bypass – National Highways
Newark Southern Link Road (SLR)
The Link Road will be around four miles of new single carriageway to the South of Newark, joining the A1 at Fernwood to the A46 near Farndon over a three phased approach. Phase 1 of the project, the central stretch of road between Staple Lane and Bowbridge Lane, is complete. Construction of phase 2, the eastern stretch linking Staple Lane and the Balderton interchange, is well underway having commenced last summer. Delivery of the final phase will consist of the western stretch linking Bowbridge Lane and the A46. Overall completion of the scheme is expected Dec 2025.
The road unlocks significant housing and employment growth for the district. Costing around £100m, it has been funded through both private and public investment across multiple partners including the D2N2 LEP, NSDC and the County Council.
In addition to the 500 homes already occupied at the Middlebeck development following the construction of the first phase of the SLR, another 2,600 will follow upon completion.
The SLR should also act as a relief road for when infrastructure improvement works commence on the A46 Newark Bypass scheme.
A52
National Highways completed delivery of their smaller junction improvement scheme May 2023. This scheme included improvements to the following junctions:
- Bingham Road junction
- Stragglethorpe Road junction
- Silverdale roundabout
- Gamston roundabout
Work has since commenced on finalising design details for the larger junction scheme improvements. This includes Nottingham Knight and Wheatcroft Roundabouts.
Nottingham Knight junction is currently used by approximately 64,000 vehicles a day, Wheatcroft junction is currently used by approximately 50,000 vehicles a day. Traffic forecasts predict that this will increase at both junctions to approximately 100,000 vehicles a day within 15 years. Thus, both junctions are likely to experience the following in order to improve congestion:
- Widening of all of the approaches to provide additional traffic lanes
- Increase in size of the existing roundabouts to allow better movement of traffic
- Introduction of traffic signals to manage traffic safely and effectively
Work on the larger junctions is part funded by developers to support the increased vehicular, pedestrian and cyclist traffic that will be generated from local growth.
It is expected that work will begin late 2024 and complete 2027.
Further details: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/btxdrgdl/cre23_0155-a52-open-for-traffic-brochure_web-version_080623.pdf