Works on Haughton Road roundabout project reach milestone

The remodelling of the Haughton Road roundabout – a key commuter route connecting Darlington town centre with major employment sites – has reached a key milestone.

Work to transform the former throughabout into a conventional roundabout with additional lanes to ease congestion has been delayed by working restrictions put in place during the lockdown phase of the coronavirus pandemic but the substantive works to the highway are now finished.

Further works to footpaths, cycle routes and landscaping will continue for a few weeks but will not impact on the road itself.

The improvement scheme has been delivered by Darlington Borough Council and is jointly funded by the council and Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority through the Department for Transport’s National Productivity Investment Fund.

The project aims to improve the flow of traffic on one of the town’s busiest commuter routes and support the growth of employment sites at Lingfield Point and Symmetry Park.

Councillor Heather Scott, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: “The works on Haughton Road have already had a transformative effect and with traffic back to 80% of pre-lockdown levels it is clear the redesigned junction has greatly eased congestion in the area.

“As a council we have committed to cutting congestion and improving road surfaces around the town – this scheme goes a great way towards tackling those key aims.

“The former incarnation of this junction – the throughabout – had achieved its initial aims of opening up access to Lingfield Point, Symmetry Way and the wider McMullen Road area, leading to  strong economic growth, and removing a great deal of traffic from Haughton village but as traffic levels grew further it was no longer working effectively.

“The support we received from TVCA and the Department for Transport funding has enabled us to bring this key junction up to date, creating extra lanes for traffic and improved infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

“I’d like to thank everyone who travels through the area for their patience during the works and, most particularly, those living locally, who have put up with the disruption with great forbearance.”