Public inquiry improvement scheme A1/A57/B1164 UK

United Kingdom – A Public Inquiry into the Highways Agency’s proposed improvement scheme for the A1/A57/B1164 Markham Moor junction in Nottinghamshire starts on 3 May 2006 and is expected to continue for five days.

The Public Inquiry is being held at Elkesley Village Hall, Elkesley, Notts, starting at 10am.

It has been called as the Highways Agency received a number of objections to the scheme following its public exhibition of the preferred route and draft Orders in June 2005 and the publication of revised draft Orders in January 2006.

The inquiry, which will be open to the public, will be conducted by Mr Richard Owen-Smith, an independent Inspector from the Planning Inspectorate. The inspector will hear objections to the scheme as well as the Agency’s case for going ahead with the preferred route, and will prepare a report for consideration by the Secretary of State in due course.

The preferred route announcement brochure and further information can seen on the Highways Agency website at www.highways.gov.uk www.highways.gov.ukThe Highways Agency evidence is available to view at Retford Library, Retford, Nottinghamshire.

• 1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport and manages, maintains and improves the network of trunk roads and motorways in England on behalf of the Secretary of State.
• 2. Copies of the preferred route and alternative routes and the environmental statement are available from the Highways Agency or media copies from GNN on the number below.
• 3.The publication of the draft Orders for Markham Moor was announced on 9 June 2005 (EM 99/05). Revised draft Orders were published in January 2006. The scheme is part of the six-junction A1 Peterborough to Blyth improvement scheme. Public inquiries have already been held for Apleyhead, Blyth, Gonerby Moor, Carpenter’s Lodge and Colsterworth.
• 4. The preferred route for the Markham Moor junction proposes the removal of the existing roundabout and a new link road to take local traffic over the A1. Two new roundabouts, one on either side of the current junction, will connect the A57 and B1164, and new slip roads will be provided for traffic joining and leaving the A1.