The completion of a long-awaited bypass to reduce traffic has had little affect on one nearby area, according to its residents. People who live near the road's junction in Mapperley Plains have said that the major project has not yet majorly impacted their lives despite hopes it "will come good".
The £49 million Colliery Way was formerly known as the Gedling Access Road. The new 3.8km single carriageway road now acts as a link between the B684 Mapperley Plains and the A612 Trent Valley Road/Nottingham Road.
The bypass opened to traffic on Tuesday, March 22. But people living near to the new exit on Mapperley Plains said that little had changed since the project, which was said to improve the commuting experience for motorists and businesses, was completed.
Read more: Neighbours in Mapperley Plains say they 'won't be glad' when £49m road opens
Nev Sparks, 70, who is retired and has lived on Mapperley Plains for 30 years, said: "It's a wait and see situation but it was never created to help here I don't think, Gedling is noticeably quieter because of it. It is pushing a lot of the traffic to Spring Lane.
"The only things I have noticed is that it is a quite a bit quieter at night here. Weekends are busy and Lambley Lane seems busier as well, so it's about the same as well it wasn't open.
"It is alright going to Burton Joyce where my daughter lives but not sure it helps us when we're here. But it looks nice and they've done a good job of it to be fair, so that's something."
Linda Holmes, 74, who is retired and lives on Mapperley Plains, said that despite her hopes she was "doubtful" the access road would ease traffic in the area.
"I do not see it making much of a difference but I would like to be proved wrong and for it to come good. When I moved here in 1988 it was fairly quiet, I'm hoping it will do some good and ease traffic but I'm doubtful," Ms Holmes said.
"It is a lovely road and I hope it will change people's driving habits so people going into Nottingham a different way, but there's not a lot of difference here at the moment. I am sure it has done a lot of good for Gedling Village, but I have not seen much evidence here."
The access road was built primarily to take pressure off the roads in the borough and particularly Gedling Village, according to the Nottinghamshire County Council. It will also allow for more traffic capacity for a number of housing developments in the area, including Keepmoat Homes' Chase Farm site off Arnold Lane as well as more recent plans for a further 40 properties off Mapperley Plains.
Michael Wallbanks, 67, who lives on Mapperley Plains, added: "Nothing has changed that we have noticed, but because of the roadworks I don't think we would be able to tell if anything had. There is no difference at all so far but for Gedling Village there will be.
"The roadworks and pipes from the new estate have caused more issues. It can take us 15 minutes to get off the drive, so if there was less traffic and roadworks then we would be able to tell whether it was helping now it is open."
Nottinghamshire County Council has previously said that the access road is expected to boost the economic growth of the area. Businesses in Mapperley said that they had not yet
seen an increase in custom to the area, but also expressed their hope that this would soon be the case.
Emma Cooper, 31, who is the manager of The Fruit Bowl in Mapperley, said: "I've not noticed any big changes, or at least any that are particularly linked to the new road.
"The school holidays have had a lot more of a difference than the GAR. Hopefully when the new estates next to it are up and the roadworks are finished it will bring some more people in."
Shirley Ingle, 57, who works in the Mapperley Top Clean drycleaners, said: "There's not been much of a difference since it opened. It's quite busy anyway on these roads.
"Maybe it's just because it has only been a month. It might end up bringing more people here as it's easier to get here."
