The project was to deliver a new 5th access arm to the Shireoaks Common site from the existing A57 / Gateford Road / Woodsetts Roundabout in Worksop
This unlocked a key employment site for development as identified in the Core Strategy for Worksop.
The development site is one of the two main allocations in the area and is vital to deliver the job opportunities required to support the predicted future housing growth. The new access also helps to reduce the timescale for the delivery of the development and demonstrate a commitment to the delivery of the wider site, which is estimated will create 915 jobs.
The existing roundabout is of strategic importance to Worksop and was included in the Bassetlaw Transport Study.
As part of the project to provide a 5th access arm, the scope of works included partial signalisation that provides positive control of the approaches and required less geometric changes to the existing roundabout.
Also, pedestrian routes to the site were improved with the introduction of a new signalised pedestrian crossing. The changes collectively enabled the junction to continue operating satisfactorily when taking account of all potential developments in the Worksop area (including the Shireoaks development) and general background traffic growth.
Early discussions between all parties including the developer ensured that the preferred scheme layout was identified and agreed at an early stage enabling the detailed design to be progressed without further option appraisals.
The teckal status of Via enabled BDC to commission the services through NCC as a public sector partner with Via offering both a design and construction service. This reduced time in the programme and removed the requirement for a separate procurement exercise to secure a contractor to undertake the construction works.
The multi-disciplinary teams at Via enabled the design to be undertaken in-house and utilise the construction team expertise early in the process to ensure the project was deliverable. The Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) included regular meetings to discuss key construction activities around traffic management, statutory undertakers’ apparatus and identified work that could be undertaken early with minimum lead-in times to achieve spend and time on the programme.
As Via undertook the works on behalf of NCC it also meant a Section 278 agreement was not needed removing the requirement to undertake technical approvals, securing the legal agreement and bond payments saving time and cost.
