Wakefield Eastern Relief Road
Date: 27/09/2016
Ref: PR 8356
Work
is continuing on the Wakefield Eastern Relief Road, which is set to provide an
essential road link between the A642 and A638.
The next phase of the new £33m road is to construct the junctions at Doncaster
Road and Ferry Lane. Work on Doncaster Road has been visibly ongoing for some
time, and now traffic flow will be switched on to sections of the new
roundabout so that work can take place on the existing road.
The Council is warning those travelling through the area that the new layout
may cause some disruption as drivers get used to the changes.
As the build takes place, the same number of traffic lanes will remain open in
each direction wherever possible.
The junction works at Ferry Lane will also start in mid-October.
Cllr Peter Box CBE, West Yorkshire Combined Authority Chair and Leader of
Wakefield Council, said: “Good progress continues to be made on the Wakefield
Eastern Relief Road and we are confident that it will bring real benefits to
the district when it opens next year.
“As the construction progresses, the work will become more visible and we
apologise for any disruption that this may cause.
“The new road will help to reduce traffic congestion in and around the city,
improve our transport links, unlock land for future development and help create
thousands of new jobs.”
Also being created around the new relief road will be several ponds to help
with surface water drainage around the new road. They are being designed to
provide wildlife sanctuary and increase the biodiversity of the local area,
linking into existing wetlands nearby.
The 7.5km Wakefield Eastern Relief Road is the first project being constructed
as part of the Combined Authority’s 10-year programme of strategic transport
schemes targeted to accelerate growth and create up to 20,000 jobs across the
region. Funding for the schemes is though the £1bn Leeds City Region Enterprise
Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal from the Government’s Local Growth Fund.
The road is still on course to be completed early next year.
For more information and updates on the roads progress, visit the Council
website at www.wakefield.gov.uk/easternreliefroad
ENDS