Report by Local Democracy Reporter – Jon Copper
A worried councillor is urging North East Derbyshire District Council to oppose a Derbyshire County Council-backed scheme to introduce a new set of traffic lights near a staggered crossroads along a busy main carriageway between Chesterfield and New Tupton.
Labour-controlled North East Derbyshire District Council has been considering plans for a signalised junction near the staggered crossroads of the A61 Derby Road, in Wingerworth – with Mill Lane on one side and Nottingham Drive on the other – aimed at maintaining traffic flow, helping movement in and out of the main carriageway and keeping pedestrians safe.
The district council has proposed a speed limit reduction for a 1.6mile stretch of the A61 through Wingerworth from 50mph to 40mph as well as backing plans for new traffic lights but Independent district councillor, Ross Shipman, has opposed the plans for the lights after he highlighted public opposition in a recent consultation with concerns about increased congestion and safety.
Cllr Shipman said: “The published consultation results show a clear majority of respondents opposed to the scheme with approximately 65per cent stating they do not support the proposals compared with 30per cent in support.
“Local residents have raised significant concerns about increased congestion, road safety and traffic being displaced onto surrounding streets.”
But the district council believes the scheme will help to maintain traffic flow and keep road-users including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians safe and that it will improve access to residential and commercial areas and reduce traffic demands from the planned Avenue housing development onto the A61 at the Hornbeam Drive roundabout north of Nottingham Drive.
It has stated that the traffic lights would provide signal controlled pedestrian crossings over the A61 and Mill Lane and their width at four metres would allow for a shared use with cyclists.
Proposed traffic lights would feature vehicle detection technology which senses waiting vehicles and adjusts timing for the lights using sensors to optimise traffic flow and a bus stop between Mill Lane and Nottingham Drive would be moved as part of the scheme to a new northbound location away from the junction area and nearer to the Baker Road residential area.
The scheme is considered to be less costly than a roundabout and less expensive than implementing a larger traffic signal arrangement that would be necessary under the current speed limit of 50mph, according to the district council.
Construction work for the scheme could begin in 2026 over two to three months, according to the district council, if the plans are given the green light by the district council and Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority.
But Cllr Shipman has submitted a motion to the district council urging the authority to oppose the plans and to write to the Derbyshire County Council’s Highways Authority to urge them not to proceed with the traffic lights scheme and to work with residents and district councillors to explore alternative community-supported options.
Cllr Shipman, who fears traffic will be pushed onto nearby residential streets if the scheme goes ahead, added: “Local people must have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their daily lives. Pushing ahead with a scheme that lacks public support risks undermining trust in the consultation process.”
NE Derbyshire District Council carried out the public consultation into the scheme following a request from Derbyshire County Council who secured £1m from the East Midlands Mayoral Combined Authority to develop a signalised junction in Wingerworth subject to approval by the county council’s highways authority.
The scheme aims to support a southern access point for a major brownfield strategic development of housing and employment land at the nearby Avenue site earmarked in the North East Derbyshire Local Plan.
Out of 451 consultation respondents, who were mostly local residents, 68per cent supported some sort of intervention on the traffic access onto the A61 from Nottingham Drive and Mill Lane, according to the district council, with views being taken into account on the overall design.
Possible signals on Nottingham Drive have been recognised as a ‘primary concern’ by the district council after it stated that the consultation highlighted many people’s worries that the time delays and vehicle detection loop would be insufficient to cope with vehicles exiting the A61 at peak times.
The council has stated that following the consultation it has considered the siting of the relocated northbound stop, extending the 40mph speed limit to the New Tupton roundabout, and maintaining safe and accessible crossing points for pedestrians.
A district council spokesperson has stated: “Discussions between Derbyshire County Council and North East Derbyshire District Council have been taking place on how to progress the scheme in reflection of these issues.
“The designers of the scheme displayed have been instructed to consider these other options to address the concerns raised with safety of all road users remaining an absolute priority.”
The matter is expected to be considered at the district council’s next Full Council meeting on January 26 at the district council’s headquarters off Mill Lane, at Wingerworth, Chesterfield.
