Contractor appointed to look into potential new Doncaster bypass

Doncaster Council has appointed a contractor to look at improving a major road which currently hampers two borough villages with high air pollution and frequent accidents.
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Infrastructure firm Amey - best known in South Yorkshire for their handling of controversial tree felling programmes in Sheffield - will undertake a strategic outline business case (SOBC) along the A635 in Darfield in Barnsley to the A1 in Doncaster.

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David Whitley, Sheffield City Region senior transport programme manager, said: “Known and acknowledged congestion and air quality issues at Hickleton and Marr, combined with future projected economic growth in the Dearne Valley and the proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail station at Goldthorpe, has meant that a ‘do nothing’ approach is not sustainable.

The A635 through the village of Hickleton is often used by HGVs accessing the Dearne Valley distribution centres and the A1The A635 through the village of Hickleton is often used by HGVs accessing the Dearne Valley distribution centres and the A1
The A635 through the village of Hickleton is often used by HGVs accessing the Dearne Valley distribution centres and the A1

“However, the outcome of the SOBC is expected to recommend some smaller, short term, interventions along the route.

“The initial outputs on the modelling show a ‘value for money’ assessment of the scheme - based on a cost of around £100m - it is unlikely to be successful in a competitive bidding processes through Government.

“However, the strategic case is robust and further work is required to understand the cost and benefits further, with a view to positioning the scheme - as part of a wider pipeline of schemes including other interventions such as the A1(M) to M18 link - designed to enable growth across the city region.”

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The A635 in the Dearne Valley area of Barnsley was upgraded many years ago to coincide with growth of industries in that area.

The route is well-used by HGVs between the warehouse district which sits in between the M1 and A1(M) and many lorries have to pass narrow sections in Hickleton and Marr.

Sheffield City Region bosses, who are working closely with counterparts at Doncaster Council, said the initial findings from the review outline the potential for 3,000 homes and nearly 81 hectares of employment land around the route by 2033.

It is expected that further detail will be available for the final version of the SOBC, likely to be Autumn 2020.

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