Improvements planned for pinch-points along A614 and A6097

One of the busiest routes in Nottinghamshire will see six key pinch points upgraded in a multi-million pound scheme.

Last year, the Government announced £18m would be spent on the A614 and the A6097. Described as the “spine of the county” the routes jointly go from the south to the north of Nottinghamshire.

New details have been revealed for how the funding will be spent, with the majority going on six junctions and islands which cause the worst snarl-ups.

From south to north, the junctions are: Lowdham Roundabout; Warren Hill Junction (where the A6097 and A614 join); White Post Roundabout; Mickledale Lane Junction and Deerdale Lane Junction (both near Bilsthorpe) and Ollerton Roundabout.

The latter has been well-known to cause lengthy tailbacks, and there have been repeated calls for decades for much-needed improvements.

The upgrades are at a very early stage, with planning permission and land acquisition yet to get underway.

It is not yet known exactly what the junction improvements will entail.

While the funding comes from the Department for Transport, the scheme will be run by Nottinghamshire County Council, which is responsible for most roads in the area.

Initial plans have now been released by the council, and are expected to be approved after a vote on Wednesday.

The council did not want to comment ahead of the vote.

However, when the £18m was announced, the leader of the council, Kay Cutts, said: “We are delighted with the announcement as it shows what we can do as a local council, punching above our weight in partnership with the Government.

“This funding will open up fantastic new opportunities for the county, bringing new jobs, housing and infrastructure to local communities and businesses.

“The A614 corridor is the spine of the county with new housing developments planned in Bilsthorpe, Ollerton and Blidworth so this investment is crucial to help meet these increasing demands as these are areas where even more of our residents what to live and work.

“The improvements will also give better access to key tourism sites such as the Nottinghamshire County Council-owned Rufford Abbey and Sherwood Forest Country Park.”