Two congestion cutting schemes completed in Yorkshire
The Highway Agency has just completed two pinch point schemes, reducing congestion and improving journeys for drivers on the M1 in Yorkshire.
The work on the M1 at junction 33 and junction 40 will improve vehicle capacity at the junctions, aid traffic flow and improve safety for road users.
The £2 million improvement at junction 33 (Catcliffe) involved widening the southbound exit slip road and roundabout near Rotherham and Sheffield, and builds on the previous year’s widening of the northbound exit slip road, helping to ease congestion, reduce delays and prevent motorists queuing back on to the M1 southbound carriageway. The scheme will make journey times more reliable and improve access to Rotherham, Sheffield, and the surrounding areas.
The £1.2 million junction improvement scheme at junction 40 (Flushdyke) involved widening the southbound exit slip road and roundabout from 2 to 3 lanes, increasing vehicle capacity and improving traffic flow at this Wakefield junction.
To ensure these schemes ware completed with as little disruption to drivers as possible, most of the work took place over night. The Agency, its consultants and its contractors worked together to deliver both schemes ahead of time and to budget.
Highways Agency, Service Delivery Team Leader, Roger Wantling, said:
Drivers will now experience a reduction in congestion and delays around these two important junctions. The work should also improve road safety and contribute to a reduction in accidents in the areas. We would like to thank drivers for their patience while the work was being carried out.
These schemes are 2 of the 15 Highways Agency pinch point schemes taking in place in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The programme provides smaller scale improvements that can deliver big returns by easing congestion and making journey times more reliable for road users, including hauliers and commuters, to help boost local economies and drive economic growth.
This scheme is also part of a major programme of work being delivered by the Highways Agency across the Yorkshire and Humber motorway region. The scheme is part of a major £550 million investment in the region’s roads infrastructure taking place until 2015.
More information is available on the Highways Agency’s website Information on the pinch point programme can be found here
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer