£8 million secured to improve congestion hit A630 West Moor Link Road in Doncaster

Doncaster will receive over £8 million to widen and improve a major borough link road.
Plans are being drawn up to improve the A630 West Moor Link roadPlans are being drawn up to improve the A630 West Moor Link road
Plans are being drawn up to improve the A630 West Moor Link road

Councillors will vote to draw down £5 million from the Sheffield City Region and around £3.3 million from the Northern Powerhouse body to upgrade the A630 West Moor Link Road.

The major highway stretches from Thorne Road from the town cenre, along Wheatley Hall Road before heading past Edenthorpe and Armthorpe before joining junction 4 of the M18.

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Council bosses acknowlege problems along the route with congestion which is made worse by a narrow passing under a railway bridge close to McDonald’s between Wheatley Hills and Edenthorpe.

Figures show 240 buses travelling in both directions use this part of the route every day constituting a ‘pinch point’.

Highways chiefs have said additional road capacity can be achieved by creating an additional lane to result in two lanes on each side of the carriageway.

Works will include widening and making the exisiting rail bridge taller by lowering the highway.

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Improvements will also include space for a wider pavement with cycling facilities.

Council bosses say the work will reduce peak journey times by around seven minutes.

Preliminary works relating to service diversions commenced in April 2019 and the council has a ‘disruptive possession’ from Network Rail for one week from March 1, 2020.

The works will have an impact on the network as they will require lane closures and two separate nine day road closures.

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A full business case is due to be submitted to Sheffield City Region in June 2019 to secure funding.

A breakdown of the work

Gas diversions - July 15, 2019 to September 15, 2019 - Lane closure Water dversions – September 16, 2019 to October 13, 2019 - Lane closure Culvert works - October 26, 2019 to November 3, 2019 - Road closure Bridge preperations - November 4 to February 28, 2020 – Lane closure (as required) Bridge construction - March 1, 2020 to March 8, 2020 - Road closure

“Completion of the A630 West Moor Link project will enable the widening of the A18 railway bridge and subsequent widening of the A630 beneath, eliminating the pinch point on it, which will reduce congestion and delay, support developments, minimise impacts on local communities and provide an enhanced cycle network in the area.

“The height restriction causes major issues for Armthorpe, as diversions off the motorway require high vehicles to divert through the area which is not ideal for an already congested area.

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“The scheme will also improve connectivity to and between Hatfield, Edenthorpe, Dunsville and into the Town Centre via Wheatley Hall Road.

Cabinet members are expected to vote to draw the money down from the two bodies as well as committing a section of local authority cash to fund the project to make up the £10.6 million cost.