A £42 million major upgrade of the A630 has been given the go-ahead today.
This is part of plans to level up northern transport infrastructure. The scheme will cut congestion and boost capacity along one of the busiest routes into Sheffield.
Work is scheduled to start in the next few weeks and will be finished by summer 2022.
Acting as a key route between Rotherham and Sheffield while providing access to the M1, the major road has around 65,000 vehicles use it a day. This makes it one of the busiest in the region and a vital part of Yorkshire’s road network, helping connect businesses conveniently with economic powerhouses such as Leeds to the north and London to the south.
The £42 million being invested by the government will transform the existing road into a dual 3-lane carriageway, markedly increasing capacity on the road. Junction 33 on the intersecting M1 will also benefit from carriageway widening and resurfacing, reducing congestion, cutting carbon (CO2) emissions, and further boosting capacity to help road users move about more easily.
Upgrades to the road will also help boost the region’s economy, acting as another example of the government’s pledge to build back better while boosting the quality of northern transport infrastructure. The increased capacity will mean more commuters and businesses will be able to easily use the route to travel between the key centres of Rotherham and Sheffield.
Roads Minister Baroness Vere said: “The funding announced today will make a real difference to thousands of commuters’ journeys in the region every day, and further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to levelling up transport infrastructure in the North. By boosting the capacity on this vital A-road, and delivering this scheme in good time, we’ll help improve connectivity, cut journey times and boost local economies in South Yorkshire.”
The main works are set to start soon and the new road is scheduled to open in summer 2022, with the Department for Transport’s funding contribution forming the majority of the total scheme cost of £46 million.
The announcement of the funding package comes after the Northern Transport Acceleration Council was established earlier this year. The council was created with the desire to speed up the delivery of Northern transport projects, cut bureaucracy and red tape and give Northern mayors and council leaders a direct line to ministers.
