Some Worksop residents 'not better off' since wrap up of £2.4m Millhouse Roundabout scheme

Angry residents who live on Newcastle Avenue say they are feeling 'neglected' and 'no better off' following the completion of the £2.4m Millhouse Roundabout scheme.
Traffic queuing on the A57 towards Newcastle Avenue during the project works on Millhouse Roundabout, Worksop.Traffic queuing on the A57 towards Newcastle Avenue during the project works on Millhouse Roundabout, Worksop.
Traffic queuing on the A57 towards Newcastle Avenue during the project works on Millhouse Roundabout, Worksop.

The project, which aimed to reduce congestion by installing traffic lights on the notorious roundabout, was completed in December following a four week delay.

But signals were not placed on Newcastle Avenue, which forms one of the four arms”of the roundabout- leaving residents “still queuing” during rush hour.

Julie Cardwell, who lives on Newcastle Avenue, said: “Why have all other arteries onto this roundabout been given a set of traffic lights, except Newcastle Avenue?

“We still have to sit and wait for the small gap in between the two sets of lights controlling the traffic to the right when trying to exit Newcastle Avenue, which is exactly what we have always had to do, sit and wait for a gap in the constant traffic from the right.

“It is absolutely ridiculous that we have been put through nearly 12 months of inconvenience, believing that things would actually improve upon completion, only to find that we are still queuing every morning.”

Neil Hodgson, head of consultancy at Via East Midlands, who manage highways service on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council said: “The improvements to the Millhouse Roundabout were designed to reduce congestion on the main routes into the roundabout, particularly the A57 and A60 arms, to future proof the junction against predicted traffic growth and encourage inward investment and economic growth in the Worksop area.

“We investigated a number of options during the design process, one of which was to signalise Newcastle Avenue and St Anne’s Drive, however tests of the performance of the junction predicted longer queues on Newcastle Avenue with traffic signals rather than a give way priority control.

“The signals create more clearly defined safe gaps on the roundabout and our initial observations have been encouraging, with no queuing of any note on either Newcastle Avenue or St Annes Drive, and further studies will take place to ensure the roundabout is performing as expected.”