The Council has begun construction of a new road linking Haughton Road to the A66 Darlington Bypass. This scheme originally formed part of the Darlington Cross Town Route and is being funded by the Government in recognition of its benefits to local people and the economy. The Department for Transport has conditionally approved funding of £12.04 million towards the scheme cost of £12.5 million, with the difference being funded by the Council.
The new road will also provide access to industrial land.
This single carriageway road links the A66(T) to Haughton Road to the east of the town centre and helps the economic regeneration of this area of the town by improving access to industrial land and tackling traffic congestion on existing roads. It also means that local people can get to employment in the area by several means of transport including by car and on a cycle. The scheme would also:
- improve pedestrian and cycle safety, both on existing roads due to re-routed traffic and on the new National Cycle Route 14 (with a bridge over the A66(T));
- improve travel conditions on McMullen Road, Haughton Road and Yarm Road, through tackling traffic congestion and the introduction of physical measures such as traffic calming and other environmental works.
- improve access to the countryside through improving the existing bridleway into a National Cycle Route giving access to the South Burdon Community Woodland, creating the potential for a sustainable tourism initiative along the trackbed of the original Stockton to Darlington railway line.
The scheme originally formed part of the Darlington Cross Town Route, but is being funded by Government in recognition of its benefits to local people and the economy. They have conditionally approved funding of £12.04 million towards the scheme cost of £12.5 million – the difference being funded by the Council. We have spent nearly £1 million getting the scheme to this stage, buying land and in preparing the design.
Construction began in early 2007. Completion is expected by the summer of 2008.
More details about the project, including news and updates, have been provided by Birse Civils.
Planning decisions associated with the scheme are as follows:
- 00/00508/FULE – 27/06/2002 – New highway, etc.
- 04/00764/DC – 27/09/2004 – New signalised junction, access road & roundabout to connect to proposed Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor.
- 06/00937/DC – 16/11/2006 – Display of advertisement signboards promoting major road project.
Last updated - 21/08/2007