Go-ahead for UK road project

The go-ahead has been given in the UK for a major plan by National Highways to relieve congestion and improve safety along the A46 in Newark.

A Development Consent Order (DCO) has been approved for the multi-million-pound project. This means the formal green light has been given for the scheme to tackle congestion on the crucial A46 trade corridor through the East Midlands.

The scheme will upgrade a stretch of single carriageway on the A46 which is used by 17,000 drivers/day as the key trans-Midlands trade corridor linking to the Humber Ports.

As well as having national significance and supporting economic growth, it will help remove the bottleneck of traffic around Newark, as well as making the route safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The scheme has undergone thorough scrutiny by the Planning Inspectorate, leading to today’s announcement.

Izzy Tully, project manager from National Highways, said:  ”The A46 is an important route, supporting trade and the wider economy, and our upgrade will reduce delays by delivering much-needed additional capacity to the road and its junctions, as well as better connectivity and safer journeys for everyone.

The scheme will include widening 6.4km of the existing single carriageway to a dual carriageway, to provide two lanes in each direction between Farndon and Winthorpe roundabouts near Newark-on-Trent. It will also provide a new flyover at the Cattle Market roundabout for the A46 to pass over the junction and a new bridge over the A1. In addition, the roundabout at Winthorpe will be improved while new traffic lights will be installed to connect the new A46 link.

In the coming months, National Highways will work with the Department for Transport (DfT) to identify the most efficient and cost-effective delivery timetables for this project, as part of the process of setting the next Road Investment Strategy. An update on timings will be given next year.