Green light for £28.6 million improvements to snarled up A614 in Nottinghamshire

Ministers have rubber-stamped a £24.3m cash injection which will see improvements along the A614/A6097 between Ollerton and East Bridgford.

The upgrades along the 18-mile stretch on the main north-south local route through the county will also support the construction of 1,330 new homes by boosting access to development sites, a statement issued by the Department for Transport says.

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 community centre.

The congestion-easing scheme will also dramatically improve access for millions of visitors to key tourist attractions, including Sherwood Forest, Clumber Park and Rufford Abbey – all of which are major contributors to the local economy, the Government says.

The move is part of the Government’s drive to rebuild from the pandemic and level up transport links to boost regional economies right across the country.

The complete package of measures within the scheme includes six junction improvements along the A614 and A6097.

These are:

Ollerton Roundabout – the intersection of the A614 / A616 / A6075 roundabout; Mickledale Lane junction – the A614 / Mickledale Lane crossroads; White Post roundabout – the A614 / Mansfield Road roundabout; Warren Hill junction – the A614 / A6097 priority junction; Lowdham Roundabout – the A6097 / A612 Nottingham Road / Southwell Road roundabout; Kirk Hill junction – the A6097 / Kirk Hill crossroads.

Commenting on the development, Coun Ben Bradley, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council and MP for Mansfield, said: “The announcement from the Department for Transport (Dft) is fantastic news for Nottinghamshire.

“This investment is not only key to upgrading a major route through our county, but also for the delivery of numerous regeneration, growth and tourism projects in the area.

“In 2019, a total 4.5million visitors made a trip to tourist attractions including Sherwood Forest, Rufford Abbey Country Park and Centre Parcs, all of which are served by the A614.

“The upgrade of the A614/A6097 corridor is just another example of how we are ensuring that Nottinghamshire is well and truly on the map as a great place to live, work, visit and bring up your family.”

Works are expected to take place by Via East Midlands, the county council-owned highways company, in 2023 subject to the completion of statutory processes.

The next key milestone for the project is the planning application which will be submitted to the planning authority this summer.

The total cost of the scheme comes to £28.6 million, with the county council providing the remaining funds following the Department for Transport’s multi-million-pound contribution.

Coun Keith Girling, chairman of the economic development and asset management committee, said: “This ambitious £28.6m 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."