One year on since the opening of the Gedling Access Road (GAR), a £49 million link across the brow of Gedling, opinion is still divided. The new 3.8km route, which joins the A612 to Mapperley Plains, officially opened to traffic on March 22 last year with the aim of easing congestion in Gedling village.
Nottinghamshire County Council said around three million vehicles have already travelled along the route. However, the road hit the headlines for the wrong reason in January, when a pot hole opened in a "big embarrassment" for the council.
Whilst many have benefited from the quicker link, residents around the GAR have mixed views. "I don't think it's made much difference," said Ryan Maguire, who lives on Clementine Drive in Mapperley, at the top of the GAR.
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The 34-year-old continued: "The traffic's always been bad around here. I use it instead of Arnold Lane but I've not seen much difference.
"I'm no road expert but I don't think it's worth the money." A retired resident who lives nearby added: "Once we realised it was going to go through we thought about moving to somewhere else.
"We moved here to get away from the hassle and quiet. My wife still walks about moving every week.
However, others said they were "very positive" about the major road. "I think it's great, there isn't as much traffic congestion as I thought there would be," said a 77-year-old man who has lived in Clementine Drive for six years.
"With the acoustic boards we don't hear a great deal or see a great deal. I'm very positive about it. At first I was not a fan at all, I was concerned about the junction at Plains Road, I thought there would be a lot of congestion.
"In the morning and afternoon it's busy but it's a lot better than I thought it would be. Lorries use it rather than Arnold Lane, it seems to have cured that problem. Whether it was worth the money? I don't know."
Liz Doyle, of Burton Joyce, added: "I don't use it a lot but it's certainly a lot better to get to Mapperley Top on. It's very beneficial to us."
A Highways Manager from Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Colliery Way provides a link from the A612 to Mapperley Plains to ease congestion through Gedling Village. Construction of the new route has also allowed for the sustainable redevelopment of the former Gedling Colliery/Chase Farm site. Since its official opening, around 3 million vehicles have travelled along the route.
“Colliery Way also provides pedestrians and cyclists with a cycle and footpath along the whole of the route which links in to Gedling Country Park. The benefits of the construction haven’t been limited to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists with a number of ecology measures improving habitats for wildlife.
“Seven bat hop overs, six amphibian crossings and seven badger tunnels have been created and 53,000 new trees have been planted.”
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