Changes to A68 roundabout improvements after resident feedback

A new report highlighting the changes made to a proposed scheme to upgrade a busy section of the A68 in Darlington as a result of public feedback has been released.

The plans for the A68 Cockerton and Woodland Road/Carmel Road North roundabouts improvement scheme were made public at the beginning of the year and were open to consultation for a month, which also included two well attended public sessions in the area.

The aim of the scheme is to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, improve pedestrian safety and to encourage people to walk and cycle. The scheme is still subject to planning and funding applications are still to be made – there is no proposed date for any work to start.

A wide range of feedback was received, with 222 comments made. These included a large number of ideas and requests for changes that could be made, in particular to preserve green space and improve pedestrian access.

Among the changes made are the introduction of a pedestrian crossing in front of the library, the reduction in size of two of the roundabouts, which will mean less green space is lost than originally proposed, and the introduction of verge hardening on West Auckland Road, to tackle parking issues.

There were also comments from people who did not wish to see the scheme progress in any manner.

However, the scheme has been assessed by an independent highways and traffic modelling consultant. Their response shows that the remodelled roundabouts are needed in the area and will create sufficient additional capacity for future years and allow the developments earmarked in the Local Plan for this part of Darlington to come forward without compromising the road network.

The report also commits to improving the public green spaces affected by the work and to keep disruption during the construction period to a minimum.

Councillor Andy Keir, cabinet member for local services, said: “We had an excellent response to the consultation process and the highways team have spent months working through the comments and reconsidering elements of the scheme as a result.

“We have taken forward a number of suggestions, in particular with regard to pedestrian safety and reducing the overall size of the remodelled roundabouts to reduce their impact on the existing green spaces.

“Projects on this scale don’t come along very often and it’s a chance for us to improve one of the busiest commuter routes in the town, while also future-proofing the network. It is another step in our long-term plans to tackle congestion across the town, while also offering improved networks to encourage people to travel by bike or on foot.

“There is still work to be done to get this scheme off the drawing board but I’m confident it will be a success.”

The full report can be viewed at: https://www.darlington.gov.uk/A68-roundabout-consultation