Friday, August 2, 2019

News: Major work imminent on Rotherham roundabout

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Work is due to start later this month on an improvement scheme at the College Road roundabout on the edge of Rotherham town centre.

Rothbiz reported in 2017 that over £3m of Government funding had been secured for a scheme to improve capacity on the roundabout to enable future economic growth in the area - in the town centre and at nearby Bassingthorpe.

The bid document stated that the scheme would support 3,116 homes in the town centre and at Bassingthorpe and some 71 hectares of employment land. The estimated number of associated jobs (direct / indirect) is 16,141 with an uplift in GVA to the local economy of £403m a year.

From Monday August 19, essential work will begin on the scheme on the site known by most as the B&Q roundabout, despite the DIY retailer moving from the Thornhill area into larger premises across town in 2009.

The council, which is financing the remainder of the funds, said that the improvements to College Road Roundabout will enable the project to add capacity to this "pinch-point" on the highway network, reducing future queues for motorists and maintaining the flow of traffic around the town centre in the long term. The investment follows the upgrading of the New York junction in recent years.

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The construction work is expected to last for nine months but the temporary traffic management arrangements will be in place for a period of up to 12 months, which include:

- Westbound closure of College Road towards College Road Roundabout, between the Masbrough Street junction and the A630 College Road Roundabout
- Traffic from the area of Masbrough Street will be able to access College Road Roundabout via Bridge Street, turning left into Greasborough Road adjacent to The Bridge Public House.

Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "This much needed improvement scheme will increase the capacity of the roundabout, help relieve congestion, save commuters time and allow traffic to flow more smoothly.

"We would like to thank motorists and local residents for their patience while these improvements are being carried out. It is inevitable that during construction there will be some delays at the junction, but every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum."

The Council is providing a 30% match funding contribution of £1.386m for the project whose total £4m+ cost has increased by £0.4m.

Government funding is also being used to progress a £45m plan to widen the Parkway to three lanes between the M1 and Catcliffe.

The Counil's cabinet were recently given an update which said that the business case, on which funding for the delivery of the scheme depends, will be submitted to the Government in autumn 2019. Subject to DfT approval, expected late 2019 and release of the grant funding, construction could commence on site in the first half of 2020. The works duration is estimated at 18 months and should be complete summer 2021.

The scheme has been developed to accommodate the growth of traffic in relation to the continued success of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) and access to the M1 motorway. The project includes widening of the existing carriageway from two to three lanes in each direction within the highway boundary and a speed limit reduction to 50 mph to address air quality issues.

Images: Google Maps

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