By Andrew Topping, Local Democracy Reporter
Roadworks are expected to cause disruption outside a college campus for nearly a full year while new paths are installed.
Nottinghamshire County Council will start the works outside Vision West Nottinghamshire College’s Derby Road campus in Mansfield on Monday, August 14.
It will include a new cycle and foot path outside the college in a £2m, Government-backed project.
The works are expected to last for 46 weeks until July 1, 2024, and will also affect the busy Nottingham Road route in and out of the town as well as Cauldwell Road.
A sign placed on Derby Road confirms the lay-by used by cars outside the college will be closed during this period.
The council says this will allow new tracks to be installed, which will connect to existing shared cycle and footpaths at each end of Derby Road.
It says these will also provide a link for residential areas to the college and both new routes will be fully segregated from the road and the path.
Cllr Neil Clarke (Con) is the council’s cabinet member for transport and environment.
He said in a statement: “It is great that works on this scheme will be starting this summer.
“This new route will provide a key link to Vision West Notts College for both students and staff and its link with the wider cycle network will help to connect to Mansfield and surrounding areas.
“Providing a safe route for cyclists is important as we look towards the future and as active travel becomes more popular.”
The project will also include improvements for cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of A60 Nottingham Road with Derby Road, and at the junction of Derby Road with Cauldwell Road.
A new toucan crossing will be installed on Derby Road close to the Vision West Notts College campus entrance.
And planned repairs to the road surface of Derby Road will take place at the same time as the works on the new cycle tracks, the council adds.
It also confirmed traffic disruption will be felt during the works but confirmed it will keep residents up to date.
Cllr Clarke added: “The scheme will cost about £2m to construct and this is part of the county council’s £4.6m allocation from Tranche 3 of the Government’s Active Travel Fund.
“We know communities may be concerned about possible disruption, but we alongside our colleagues at Via East Midlands will endeavour to keep residents and motorists up-to-date, while aiming to keep disruption to a minimum.”
When asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service what level of disruption would be felt by commuters, college staff and learners, the council did not provide an answer.
But Gavin Peake, director of IT, estates and learning resources at the college, said: “We will be notifying staff and students who work and study at the Derby Road campus of potential delays to their journeys while Nottinghamshire County Council carries out planned works immediately outside of the college so that people can build this into their journey times.
“Although we cannot anticipate the volume of traffic and delay to other road users who may be affected by the roadworks, we will keep in regular contact with the county council so that we are aware of the ongoing schedule of works.
“We will continue to communicate with students and staff to enable them to get in and out of college entrances safely and effectively.”
