A18 Thorne Road Improvement Scheme (West Moor Link)

The A18 Thorne Road Scheme is a major road improvement scheme, which will benefit people travelling from the east of the borough towards Doncaster town centre.

The £10.65m regeneration scheme will see significant improvements on the A18 Thorne Road, particularly the section on and around the Thorne Road Railway Bridge, which is the link to the A630 (Wheatley Hall Road) and the West Moor Link, heading to the M18 motorway.

The A18 Thorne Road and West Moor Link suffer from congestion and delays, particularly during peak times.  This congestion is stifling growth and preventing housing and employment development in the area.

The route is a key public transport corridor with over 240 buses (both directions) using the link under the rail bridge each weekday.

What the scheme involves

The A18 Thorne Road improvement scheme includes:

  • Demolition of an older railway bridge and construction and installation of a new one
  • Lowering of the carriageway beneath the bridge to remove the height restrictions
  • Improving the width of the A18 carriageway by constructing an additional outbound lane
  • Widening the footway for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Making junction improvements on the roundabouts at either side of the bridge A18

The new widened bridge:

New widened bridge on the A18 Thorne Road

Where we are at now

We have constructed and installed a new widened bridge.

We have diverted the utility services into the new footway, which we have constructed at a lower level, adjacent to the new Northern bridge abutment.  These diversions have been undertaken in preparation for lowering of the road.  

The road was converted to a dual carriageway from 25 June and was completed two weeks ahead of the scheduled 10 weeks allowed. The general public are able to use the road from 23 August onwards. 

Future Works

Lane closures (not full road closures) in both directions will still remain as the footway requires the final surface course laying.
Once the road has reopened there will be lane closures required on Wheatley Hall Road to complete works to street furniture such as lighting etc. Pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained throughout all road closures.

The Benefits

By completing these important improvements, the scheme will:

  • Remove the current pinch point experienced here during peak travel periods
  • Reduce congestion
  • Cut journey times across the network
  • Increase road capacity to handle future traffic growth
  • Enhance pedestrian/cycling facilities
  • Reduce the risk of vehicles striking the bridge
  • Enable the passage of high sided vehicles that divert though Armthorpe to use the A18
  • Improve road safety
  • Offer better punctuality and reliability of local bus services
  • Increase accessibility, which in turn enables investment in new developments that create new jobs and homes

The improved road infrastructure is vital for supporting economic growth and job creation across the borough.  The Council led scheme has been part funded by Sheffield City Region Local Growth funding.

To find out the full details of the proposed works, see the FAQs below:

Frequently asked questions

Are any road closures planned and if so when?

No more road closures are planned. The road reopened on 23 August after being converted to a dual carriageway. All further works will be done under lane closures. 

Why is the project taking so long?

Since the bridge was completed, the Authority has been coordinating underground utility services to be diverted to the new lower level, as described above.  Now, these are nearing completion, we can complete the rest of the scheme.  It is envisaged that all work will be completed by the end of Summer 2022. 

Will a pedestrian access be maintained?

Pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained throughout all lane closures.

How will this affect residents and businesses located on the proposed section of works?

Access to residential areas and businesses will be maintained using alternative routes when necessary with appropriate signage placed on the road network to aid navigation. We will provide regular updates on this webpage on access arrangements during the works. Sainsbury's will continue to be open with access provided.

What about getting to work or dropping children off at school?

With works being completed ahead of schedule, hopefully disruption to school traffic has been kept to a minimum. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during the works but we made a conscious effort to undertake works during non-busy periods e.g the school holidays, at night and on weekends. We do advise people to keep an eye on this webpage, social media (MyDoncaster) and advance road notifications of roadworks which will help people plan their route. Please allow more time to get to where you are heading. We keep schools informed of plans during the project.

What will be the impact on bus services?

Please check out the Travel South Yorkshire website for any impacts to the bus routes which use this route namely the 87, 87a and 87b buses.

 

 

Last updated: 22 August 2022 16:55:16

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