MAJOR SCHEME TO IMPROVE BRIDGE AND ROADS A major scheme will see a bridge on the border of East and North Yorkshire improved and roads in the surrounding area upgraded. East Riding of Yorkshire Council successfully bid for £1.5million towards the bridge project and will contribute further funds to improve the maintenance and traffic management of the local road network. The scheme will see major improvements carried out on Newland Bridge, which takes the A645 over the River Aire at the border of East and North Yorkshire. The road is one of the main gateways from East Yorkshire to Selby and its growing industrial base, as well as to Drax Power Station which employs about 900 people on site and many others indirectly. Work is expected to start in spring 2015 and should be completed during the autumn of 2015. The bridge will be closed for the duration of the work and parts of the A645 will be closed to all but local access traffic. There will be a diversion between the A614 at its junction with the eastern part of the A645, the A1041 and the western section of the A645 to Drax village for all traffic except HGVs. The diversion will pass through Rawcliffe, Snaith and Carlton but, to minimise traffic on that route, Drax Power Station is working with its hauliers to route HGV traffic via the M62, A19, A63 and A1041 in order to avoid Snaith. Temporary traffic lights will be in operation at the junction of Pontefract Road, Selby Road and Beastfair in Snaith during the project. As well as the traffic lights, there will also be a one-way restriction in Market Place, Snaith, for road safety reasons. Before the bridge works start, some minor highway maintenance works will be undertaken in Snaith, Rawcliffe and Pollington to reduce the likelihood of any works being required during the closure period. This work is scheduled to start in early 2015. Weight restrictions on the A1041 will remain in place. Mike Ball, principal engineer with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The bridge improvement is an absolutely vital project but it is a very complex operation. “The ongoing settlement of the bridge embankments has caused a need for repairs which will prevent further settlement and we will also be resurfacing part of the southern approach to the bridge. “Every effort will be made to keep the part-closure of the A645 to a minimum period of time while work is carried out on the bridge and we will make the most of available working hours to complete the project as quickly as possible. “We will be speaking to local businesses and residents over the coming weeks so they can ask questions about the project and we will endeavour to deal with any issues raised. “We have devised a scheme which aims to minimise the impact on residents and commuters as much as possible and we ask people to be patient as we work to carry out these essential improvements.” East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s transport policy team successfully bid for £1.5million towards the cost of the project from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership Local Growth Fund. Councillor Chris Matthews, portfolio holder for infrastructure, highways and emergency planning at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “Improving the transport infrastructure of the East Riding is one of the council’s top priorities and, thanks to our strong financial management and ability to match-fund such schemes, we have an excellent track record of securing these external sources of funding. “The funding is enabling us to carry out this important infrastructure scheme which will have long-term benefits for residents and motorists.” Peter Emery, production director at Drax Power Station, said: “We welcome this major investment in improving the roads infrastructure in the area and when this work is complete it will be a benefit to all businesses in the area, our employees and local residents. “We will be speaking to our suppliers and contractors to ensure that, wherever possible, HGVs will use the A19 and A63 rather than travel through Snaith and the villages on the A614.” County Councillor Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways, said: “We are very supportive of this important scheme which is being partly-funded by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership. “Investment in transport infrastructure is crucial for the economic and social development of the region. “Like East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire County Council is also involved in major projects next year to improve strategic routes in the area and the two authorities are therefore working together and with other agencies to ease congestion in the long-term and keep the district on the move and attractive to business and residents.”
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 14:51:54 +0000
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