The completion of a long-awaited bypass to reduce traffic in Gedling Village is now just one week away. But some people who live near the road's junction in Mapperley Plains said they "won't be glad" to see the project finished.
The £49 million Colliery Way was formerly known as the Gedling Access Road. It's a new 3.8km single carriageway road that will provide a link between the B684 Mapperley Plains and the A612 Trent Valley Road/Nottingham Road.
And the bypass will fully open to traffic on Tuesday, March 22. Retired Ian Soley, 67, and Angela Soley, 65, who live near to a new housing estate called Alexandra Place, said they could not "see anything but problems" with the major new route.
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They spoke of the existing traffic problems and issues they foresee. Mr Soley added: "I don't see the new road helping too much up here, I think it might make it worse."
Mrs Soley said: "I won't be glad to see it finished. The access road will make it worse here. When it's work time there's already a problem with traffic.
"When it's rush hour the people at the new estate are going to have no chance getting out onto the road. It's going to be a traffic nightmare here."
Senior councillors, however, said the road will provide better access to new homes. And they said it will result in a "big reduction" of traffic through Gedling Village.
Michael Wallbankes, 67, who has lived in Mapperley Plains for 20 years, said that although the road would benefit Gedling it would "not make any difference" to him. "It will be good for Gedling but I don't see it making any difference here really," he said.
"The reason for the thing was never to help us here, but the construction has been annoying. All the congestion, when you add all the whirring and bangs from the housing estate, became something that would interrupt the peace and quiet here.
"I'm not convinced it will make much of a difference. The traffic queues up and then I can't get off my access onto the main road, but I think it will still be busy here."
The road will run parallel with the A6211 Arnold Lane and through the centre of the old Gedling Colliery site to serve the vast, £140m Chase Farm housing estate that's redeveloped the former pit site. The road, set to cross several fields, Glebe Farm and a section of walled garden at Gedling House and part of the Carlton-le-Willows Academy grounds, will aim to reduce heavy traffic along Arnold Lane, Main Road and Shearing Hill through the centre of Gedling Village.
Construction of the new £48m, 3.8km route began in January 2020 and but there have been delays and soaring costs. Markings have now appeared on the new road. A small section of the road is currently open - ahead of the full opening in a week's time.
Another nearby resident, who wished to stay anonymous, said: "After all the delays and roadworks I don't know if people will even be that happy with it here. "With that and the houses it is a lot of construction around here, I'm hoping its not a sign that more houses are going to put up now the road is opening."
Speaking previously, Councillor Ben Bradley MP, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The Gedling Access Road has been in the pipeline for over 50 years. Colliery Way is much more than just a new road – it will provide access to new high-quality, affordable homes to help people get on the property ladder and will bring about journey time savings and other safety and efficiency benefits worth at least £73 million.
"Better links to Gedling Country Park thanks to the scheme will encourage more people to walk and cycle, the new link between two key road corridors will boost business in the area and increasing woodland in the area by 40% will improve habitats for wildlife and help green spaces to thrive."
And last week Councillor John Clarke MBE, Leader of Gedling Borough Council, said that the road would contribute to the ongoing housing development in the area. He added: "This road will also be welcomed by the residents of Gedling Village who will see a big reduction in through traffic, it will give them their village back, which is something we have been wanting to achieve for a long time.
"The name of the road also ensures that the rich heritage of the former colliery, upon which this road will be built on, is not forgotten and it’s a fantastic symbol of the regeneration of the area alongside the very popular Gedling Country Park."
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