A61 Roadworks - The Full Story

WE Are Barnsley were invited down to see the progress of the long-running roadworks on the A61 on Wednesday morning. Cllr Roy Miller has given us a new finish date, but here's the full story.

For many years the Burton Road junction on the A61 has caused delays at rush hours. While it's annoying for us road users, it also has a knock-on effect on the area's residents causing noise, access problems and poor air quality.

Barnsley Council targeted the area to improve the road and £5million in central government funding became available in 2009/10. Despite having not completed land acquisitions, the authority had 'no choice but to start if we ever wanted to do the scheme'. Work subsequently started in December 2010.

Land ownership has been a big problem. Ongoing discussions with NGrid, Wickes and Aberdeen Asset Management (the owners of the Wickes site) have been ongoing. These should have been agreed before the work started, but given the council's 'window of opportunity' to secure the funding, they went ahead without it.

The land transfer agreements were signed in January 2012 with NGrid. However, negotiations continued with the Wickes site's owners and proved even more difficult. Access to the land on Old Mill Lane to start widening the road wasn't available, so the contractors had to stop their work. The problems with the site was concluded and work started again on November 19 of last winter.

More disruption soon came. The council had 'their hands tied' at this point as Yorkshire Water, BT and Virgin Media had cabling and pipes underneath the site.

Cllr Roy Miller said: "Because of this, it may have appeared that not much was happening on site, but I assure you that it was progressing."

Outside parties were involved and the council then had to work around them, having to move underground pipes and fibre optic cabling.

"Everyone was working hard off the site, getting to the bottom of the issues," said Cllr Miller. "We were effectively held hostage and were required to carry out everything so that we could continue with our original aim."

Paul Bray, the council's head of design and transportation, said: "Even Japanese knotweed got in the way. Several metres of it had to be disposed of as it has the power to go through concrete."

A protected specie of bat was next up to cause a delay. Roosting underneath an on-site bridge, they've now been successfully relocated.

I'm pleased to report that there has been good work, though. A new access road which runs by the school on Burton Road will help to alleviate traffic in the area; the council claim that 90 per cent has been directed elsewhere.

I was also surprised by how much work goes on away from view. The vast majority of the delay has been caused by underground works and the moving of pipes, cables and wires. Trees have been planted at the back of the site and the ground - particularly on the riverside - has been strengthened.

You will see the traffic flow being moved to the opposite side in coming weeks as new tarmac is laid and the work edges nearer to its finish.

"People don't see the work we've done underground," Cllr Miller said. "It's been difficult for us but the contractors have done a great job - one that's on budget."

The A61 has long been a huge talking point on We Are Barnsley, but the end is now in sight.

However, a few people asked me to get in touch with Cllr Miller after we published the original story on its new completion date, so we asked him what you wanted to know.

One asked: "What about the current dangers that the A61 is posing, BMBC? It has been reported via Fix My Street that grit is all over the place, the potholes are nearly six inches deep, the adverse camber is a massive danger to motorcyclists who are taken totally unaware! The bottom of Wakefield Road should be shut without delay and the repairs should be done for the sake of someone losing a life. It is utterly disgraceful."

Cllr Miller: "The road surface is inspected, swept and potholes repaired as necessary. Provided that motorcyclists adhere to the speed limit, then any adverse camber can be safely negotiated."

Another asked: "Who signed off the works before the land was in council ownership, which initially caused the delay?"

Cllr Miller: "It was not, as your viewer says, 'signed off'. In November 2010, the coalition government carried out its Comprehensive Spending Review. The effect of the review could have prevented the opportunity to construct this much needed bypass. Barnsley Council was placed in the position that in order to safeguard the bypass, it had to commence work on site almost immediately or risk losing the funding permanently. Although commencement was accelerated, not all land access agreements were completed as normally happens for highway schemes. However, all parties agreed to cooperate in recognition that the construction of the bypass was paramount and important for the residents of Barnsley. The land access agreements did cause delays but these have now been completed and the final phase of the scheme is underway and should be completed by September."

You can see our video here.

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