Neighbours remain divided after National Highways upgraded their plans for a new dual carriageway. Residents in Winthorpe, near Newark, still have concerns over what the planned A46 Newark bypass could mean for their village, which is already a short distance from the busy road.
A consultation involving 539 respondents was carried out by National Highways at the end of 2022, which found 54 percent of people were very satisfied or satisfied with the proposed improvements, which leaves a large proportion of people still not convinced on the plans.
The consultation also found that around 70 percent of the respondents were extremely dissatisfied or dissatisfied with congestion levels, and 51 percent of people were extremely dissatisfied or dissatisfied with the current layout. This reiterates what the organisation and local people have already said about something needing to be done, but the plans are proving difficult to please everyone.
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The plans for the bypass will upgrade a stretch of the single-carriageway on the A46, which is used by around 17,000 drivers every day as the main trade corridor used to connect the M5 with Humber Ports. Proposals for the bypass include a flyover junction at the Cattle Market with the A46 elevated to pass over the roundabout, separating through traffic from local traffic, and traffic lights at the Farndon junction of the A46.
A new single-lane carriageway has been proposed between the Friendly Farmer and Winthorpe roundabouts, and Winthorpe junction will also be enlarged with traffic lights connected to the new A46 link. The plans also include a short section of new dual carriageway over the A1, including slip roads to Brownhills roundabout and a new bridge to the north of the existing A46 bridge over the A1.
However, residents in Winthorpe, situated close to the dual carriageway, already are still not convinced of the plans. Accountant director, Sarah Cullen, 50, said: "This is a nice village, it just feels like we're going to get a lot more noise and pollution.
"I feel better but I still have concerns in terms of local access, noise and the environmental impact. Also, there's a link from the Winthorpe estate in Newark and what's that going to look like.
"They use Winthorpe Road in Newark as a race track as it is and we don't want them coming through the village. It's a nice village, it's nice and quiet and we get a lot of noise as it is."
Speaking of the plans, Sarah added: "I'm not convinced that it's going to solve the problem." A retired 80-year-old woman who did not wish to be named said: "This plan is better, I don't know why they didn't do this in the first place.
"I know they are not going to take the end of Harlow Lane off, so anything is better than that, and there's lots of land." She described the current roundabout as "dangerous" and regarding other parts of the proposals explained that you don't tend to get pedestrians near the A46 anyway.
When asked their thoughts, microbiologist, Eden Hawley, 25, said: "I mean, I think I'm one of the few people here that are in support of it. The roundabout around here is awful, so having something like traffic lights would be great in my opinion.
"It needs something doing." A 70 year old retired resident who did not wish to be named is also in favour of the new plans.
He said: "No, I don't really have any concerns. It needs to be done.
"I can't say if traffic noise will be a problem, especially down the other end of the village, but for us we just think things will get better."
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