Lee Rowley MP and Cllrs Charlotte Cupit and Barry Lewis have welcomed the launch of a new consultation as the next step in the plan to try to tackle congestion on Derby Road. The Conservative-run County Council has set up a new consultation, which will run until the 16th October, to get the views of local residents on shorter and longer term measures to reduce traffic on the A61 south of Chesterfield.
This chance to have your say follows on from a new model of how traffic moves (and doesn’t!) along Derby Road that the County Council has been working on over the last few years. They have also carried out some recent improvements along the road, including a new traffic control centre alongside traffic light and junction changes.
Lee Rowley MP said, “We know congestion on Derby Road is a serious concern in our area, and we all stood on a promise to start to tackle these issues and come up with a plan to improve the A61. There’s no quick answer here, but we’re making progress: through the smaller scale improvements and through the traffic modelling. This has shown the ‘big ticket’ options, such as a relief road, that could be possible and how these would help congestion. So, it’s now over to you to tell us your preferences so we can work up the detail and start the process of making the case to the Government for funding if needed. We’ll then hold a local summit in the autumn to discuss the results.”
Cllr Charlotte Cupit, Deputy Leader of North East Derbyshire District Council and County Councillor for Clay Cross North Division, commented, “We finally recently got a development plan in place at the District Council so we can stop the cycle of speculative developments. This doesn’t help with the infrastructure problems we’ve inherited here and now though, so we’ve been working hard on options and solutions. Congestion on Derby Road doesn’t just cause issues on the road itself, but also on the surrounding roads and areas.
“So, please do take this chance to get involved and let us know your preferences. Lee and I will be holding residents’ meetings across the local area to explain the consultation in more detail throughout the summer and autumn. Get in touch if you’d like to join these.
Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council and County Councillor for Wingerworth and Shirland Division added, “This consultation is a welcome next step in our long-term plan for Derby Road and we’ve committed to investing in some improvements to try to tackle some of the pinch points.
“There will also be linked consultations coming up on a review of speed limits on Derby Road, in response to concerns raised by local residents, and a consultation on the proposed road improvements through Clay Cross as part of the Clay Cross Town Deal projects.”
You can find and respond to the consultation here.
If you'd like to join Lee and Charlotte's upcoming residents' meetings, please register your interest by emailing lee.rowley.mp@parliament.uk or charlotte.cupit@derbyshire.gov.uk.
