Motorists face slow start to 2017 as major roadworks begin across Notts

Video: A lane which has just been closed on Huntingdon Street is already causing delays.

Nottingham motorists face a difficult first few months of 2017, with roadworks starting on several major roads in the city and county.

Huntingdon Street, Lower Parliamnt Street and Pennyfoot Street are partially closed for the next six weeks, and roadworks on the A52 at Radcliffe-On-Trent will be ongoing for 13 weeks.

The work on the A52, due to start today, is being done to widen the carriageway and add new traffic signals, and will mostly be affected around the Nottingham Road Junction and Cropwell Road Junction.

The work is being done as part of the Government’s national road investment strategy to cut congestion.

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Planned roadworks are affecting large parts of Nottingham city centre. PHOTO: Roadworks.org

Rob Smith, who owns stationery shop Pen2Paper on Main Road in Radcliffe said it has seemed busier in the village.

“The village only really has one through road apart from the A52 and it has definitely been busier today.

“It’s possible it’ll affect us as we get quite a lot of local people but it probably won’t affect us to a great extent unless people have to travel on the A52 to get to us.”

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The A52 will be affected at Radcliffe on Trent. PHOTO: Google Maps

On Lower Parliament Street and Pennyfoot Street drivers are being diverted away from the works being carried out in order to put a new pavement outside the new Biocity building.

Rob, manager of Up & Running on Huntingdon Street, said he hoped the work would be finished quickly.

“They always seem to be messing about,” he said. “We don’t know what they’re doing and the traffic can be really bad on Huntingdon Street normally.

“I think it’s going to affect businesses in the area in a negative way, I don’t know what the ultimate goal is but they need to sort it out.

“At the moment the traffic is free-flowing but at really busy times it could put off people who are driving or taking the bus.”

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The works on Lower Parliament Street are part of the new Biocity building. PHOTO: Google Maps

“These works involve a lane closure outside BioCity and further up the road to divert drivers away from these works so they can be completed quickly and keep drivers safe,” said a spokesman for the City Council.

“We apologise for any disruption caused by these works, which are part of the final phase of the new £30m BioCity building.”