A601/Connecting Derby

Connecting Derby was a project launched in the year 2000, and undertaken by Derby City Council during the 2000s, with the main aim of completing the inner ring road, though not quite to the original plans. Connecting Derby also included a large number of other improvements to be made as a result of the completion of the ring road. The project was controversial and was fiercely opposed by a group called Derby HEART.

Because of the opposition and complex funding wrangles, the completion of the Connecting Derby project was hugely delayed - the ring road project was initially scheduled to finish in 2006, but work on the ring road did not begin until 2009 and the whole ring was not completed until 2011. The last improvement associated with the project, a cycle lane along Babington Lane to the A601, was completed in October 2012.

Phase I

Phase I of Connecting Derby was, unsurprisingly, both the first to be started and completed. It was comprised of changes to the Cathedral Road Junction on St Alkmund's Way, removing private cars from Victoria Street and Albert Street and making some roads two-way.

Post Phase I- 2008

One hurdle to the project was an application to register an area of land reserved for the road as a village green. This application was eventually rejected by public enquiry.

Phases II and II of Connecting Derby were eventually granted full approval by the Department for Transport on 31st October 2008. The DfT agreed to fund £27m worth of the scheme, Derby City council funded £6.5m and Westfield Derby provided £1m.

Phase II

Phase II was comprised of improvements to the existing ring road in the Friar Gate area, including Ford Street, Stafford Street and Agard Street to allow two way running.

The main aim of Phase II of the project was to widen and improve Ford Street and Stafford Street to allow for two way running with the aim of removing the awkward one way system. This was completed, as well as a left turn slip road off Agard Street by November 2010. A new central reservation, new traffic signals and two new pedestrian crossings were then constructed, as well as work to resurface Ford Street.

Phase III

Phase III was the main body of the project, and involved construction of Lara Croft Way, Mercian Way and Quaker Way.

Lara Croft Way shortly before opening in 2010.

Opposition

The Connecting Derby project received strong opposition from some people in the city. One hurdle was the attempt by a local person to register land at the junction of Abbey Street and Wilson Street as a village green, claiming that if the road was built then there would be no recreation area for the local community. The council argued that since the houses in the area were demolished during a slum clearance programme during the 1970s, the intention had always been to build the ring road across the site.

A public enquiry followed, and the inspector judged the application for the land to become a village green to have been unsuccessful and a report to this end was published on April 24th 2008. Following the advice from this report, Derby City Council rejected the application.

A protest group, called Derby HEART (Heritage and Environmental Association for Residents and Traders) was also formed opposing the scheme, and they "made strenuous objections in their presentation to the Public Inquiry". They objected as they felt the new ring road would cause more pollution, result in the demolition of attractive, historically important buildings and not encourage public transport usage (among other reasons). Despite their efforts, the ring road was built and they now campaign against developments in the city which they feel may have similar impacts.

Naming

New Lara Croft Way sign, 2010

Derby City Council set up a poll in November 2009 to allow people to vote for their chosen name for the new sections of ring road. The choices were Griffon Way, Merlin Way, Eagle Way, Mercian Way, John Flamsteed Way, Sorocold Way, Steve Bloomer Way or Lara Croft Way. The Griffon and Merlin were Rolls Royce Engines, Eagle Way is derived from Eagle Street which is now under Westfield, Mercian Way is after the Mercian Regiment, John Flamsteed, George Sorocold and Steve Bloomer are Derby worthies of various types and Lara Croft is an animated video game character, created in Derby.

Once the poll opened, the option of Lara Croft way generated significant news coverage and gamers worldwide voted for this option, causing a huge skewing of the results. 22,264 people voted for Lara Croft way, compared with 312 for the second most chosen option (Merlin Way).

The unusual choice of name caused some controversy within Derby and online; however Derby City Council honoured the poll and the section of new dual carriageway road between the Osmaston Road and Burton Road roundabouts was duly named Lara Croft Way. The remainder of the new ring road was named Mercian Way and the link road at Five Lamps was named Quaker Way.

Success

The completion of the ring road saw large reductions in journey times in the city centre, with time savings of 8 minutes in the morning peak, and 4 minutes in the evening and at off peak times, mainly due to the far shorter route of the new road compared to the one way system.

On the other hand, shortly after the opening of the new road, a number of minor collisions occurred, mainly at the Abbey Street junction, and comments by locals were made claiming road markings were unclear. The project's management also gave the DfT reservations about giving Derby City Council money for the London Road railway bridge replacement, saying "Connecting Derby Phases 2 and 3 suffered from considerable cost increases (£13m in total / £4m extra from DfT) and delays (8 year delay between initial and final FA) due to delays to the remaining statutory procedures, redesign, higher costs of moving the utilities, and increased land and property acquisition costs. Causes largely in LA’s control/influence." and that they had "some concerns over DCC track record". This concern was eventually not an issue and the DfT allocated money for the railway bridge replacement (See A5194 Page).

Opening Dates

Quaker Way - Partial - 13 April 2010 Mercian Way - 16 March 2011 Lara Croft Way - Fully - 27 July 2010 Lara Croft Way - Partial - 11 May 2010