The Highways Agency has been given £220 million for 3 roundabout schemes in Derby on the A38: Kingsway, Markeaton & Little Eaton. The plans involve underpasses for the first two and a flyover at Little Eaton. There will be significant changes to the roundabouts and to nearby access roads.
At Kingsway a new access road (called option K1) to the Mackworth estate via Greenwich Drive South appears to cut straight across NCN 54/68 about 280 yards after the cycle route has turned off Greenwich Drive South onto the greenway.
In addition the revised access routes are likely to greatly increase traffic flows (“including possible use by heavy vehicle” to quote the Highways Agency) on both Greenwich Drive South and Brackendale Avenue/Lyttelton Street. NCN 54/68 runs ON ROAD on these to pass under the existing A38 after coming down the cul-de-sac off Raleigh Street. The routes have to cross the traffic flow whichever direction you are cycling.
Derby’s orbital cycle route – Regional route 66 - shares the same alignment as 54/68 at Kingsway and then continues on to pass the existing Markeaton roundabout on its way towards the University. The Highways Agency plans show no special provision for the 66 to safely cross the A52 Ashbourne Road which with the new arrangements may experience higher speeds & traffic flows. The existing toucan crossing of the A38 which is a local route for both cyclists and pedestrians into Markeaton Park seems to have gone.
Currently at Little Eaton cyclists on NCN 54 are off road and then have a toucan to cross the A38; safe if not particularly convenient. In the new arrangements the A38 will be on a flyover and Alfreton Road will pass under it. The Highways Agency state “Existing footways and cycleways retained and diverted around the roundabout.” But how good that will be depends upon the detail; there will be extra slip roads to cross; will the cycleway be completely segregated as now?
The main exhibition was on 6th and 7th February but if you missed that then the following are alternatives
The Highways Agency will attend the following two local exhibition meetings being organised by Breadsall and Little Eaton Parish Councils:
- Breadsall Memorial Hall, Brookside Road on Thursday, 26th February 16:00 - 20:00
- Little Eaton Village Hall, St Peter’s Park, Vicarage Lane on Monday, 2nd March 15:30 - 19:30
All the documentation and a 3D visualisation are available at http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a38-derby-junctions/
Closing date for submissions to the consultation is Friday 13th March
Thanks for spotting this, Jim. I have to admit that I thought that the work done to the Little Eaton roundabout was all that was going to be done, and already that doesn't seem to have any new provision for cyclists. This flyover and the two underpasses are something else! Yes, let's try to get along to one of these presentations and make our concerns known.
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