A46 corridor study phase 2

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

Post Reply
User avatar
jackal
Member
Posts: 7544
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 23:33
Location: M6

A46 corridor study phase 2

Post by jackal »

I've belatedly taken a look at this study from November: https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/media/17 ... pendix.pdf

The headline stuff is the proposed 'timeline of need':

2020-25
Coventry Eastern Bypass
Smart Motorway M1 J19-23A (including M1 J21)
Newark Northern Bypass

2025-30
Ashchurch Bypass
Stratford Bypass
Longbridge Island
Warwick Bypass
Ansty Interchange
Leicester Western Bypass
Hobby Horse Interchange
North Hykeham Relief Road

2030-35
Evesham Bypass
Stivichall Interchange
Lincoln Relief Road

2035-40
Alcester
Stonebridge Highway
Newark – Lincoln Upgrades
A15 Corridor Improvements

2040-45
Beckford Bypass
Salford Priors
Tollbar Interchange
Syston – Newark

Lots of scheme details are in the appendix. Here are the schemes up to 2035 (south to north):

ASHCHURCH
Highways England RIS2 Stage 0 Report identifies a
range of options including: online improvements with
upgrades to J9; a new single carriageway link road to
the south of Ashchurch between Teddington Hands to
a new junction on the M5 south of the existing J9
(Options 1 and 2); and a new link road to J10 (Option
3). Unclear if all options are still on the table to take
to PCF1.
GCC have also presented a range of options within a
pre-SOBC submission for Large Local Major (LLM)
Funding. The options include a new or extended M5 J9
and a bypass that links the motorway junction to
Teddington Hands roundabout. Work on an OBC is
progressing on a £250m+ scheme with delivery
commencing in 2024/25.
An expressway between Ashchurch and Evesham was
included within the Phase 1 Illustrative Package,
including a new junction south of M5 J9.
... Lobby for GCC’s LLM bid including the
dualling of the proposed singlecarriageway link road
to a new motorway junction.

TEDDINGTON HANDS (A435/B4077)
HE options do not include improvements to
Teddington Hands.
GCC options include a Grade Separated Junction and a
bypass of the roundabout with slips accessing the A46
and A435.

EVESHAM/EVESHAM BYPASS
WSP believes there is a ‘fairly strong’ business case for
a new eastern (outer) bypass of Evesham. The option
tested has new junctions to north and south of
Evesham, but with no intermediate junctions.
Worcestershire have applied for HE’s Growth and
Housing Fund for roundabout upgrades on the
existing alignment.

STRATFORD BYPASS
The WSP preferred option is online dualling of this
section including grade-separating Bishopton
Roundabout (A3400) and Marraway Roundabout
(A439). Due to the proximity with Wildmoor
Roundabout, all three junctions would need to be
considered in tandem

‘10P ROUNDABOUT’ ADJACENT TO LONGBRIDGE ISLAND
The WSP preferred solution is for grade-separation of
the ‘10p roundabout’ with freeflow link A46
eastbound to M40 northbound, and new link roads
and roundabout to Longbridge Island.

WARWICK BYPASS
The WSP preferred option includes a lane gain
southbound from Warwick Parkway junction
(Birmingham Road), providing 3 lanes; lanes 2 and
3 signposted ahead to A46 and lanes 1 and 2
signposted to M40 approaching Longbridge Island.
Examine benefits of additional widening of
the A46 from 2 to 3 lanes between the
M40 and Leek Wootton (A429) to provide 3
lanes from M40 to Stivichall.

STIVICHALL INTERCHANGE
Flyover providing a free flow link between the A46
and A45 was included within the Phase 1 Illustrative
Package.

COVENTRY EASTERN BYPASS
Highways England commenced delivery of Coventry
Eastern Bypass Package (Binley Grade Separated
Junction and Walsgrave preferred option to be
confirmed) in Spring 2020 with delivery scheduled for
Spring 2022 during RIS2.

ANSTY INTERCHANGE
On-line widening to Dual 3 on approach to M6 J2 was
included within Illustrative Strategy for Enhanced
Strategic Case. Further improvements to M6 J2 were
assumed to take place as part of wider M6
improvement works).

M1 JUNCTION 21
Both WSP preferred options (Options 10 and 11)
include upgrade to M1 J21 (free flow links from M69
northbound to M1 northbound and M1 southbound
to M69 southbound.

M1 J21 (LEICESTER) – M1 J21A (A46)
Smart Motorway Improvements were scheduled for
M1 J19 – 23A during RIS2 and assumed within the Do
Minimum within Phase 2 analysis. RIS 2
announcement placed Leicester Western Access and
M1 North Leicestershire Extra capacity (focused on
M1 J21 -23A) in RIS3 pipeline.

LEICESTER WESTERN BYPASS
WSP preferred option (1/2) (Option 10) includes
online improvements to this section (an additional
lane in each direction).

HOBBY HORSE ROUNDBOUT (A607)
Highways England undertook a PCF0 SOBC study
which reported in October 2018. Option 1 (grade
separated junction) generated the biggest benefits.
This option was used in the WSP work for one of two
preferred options (Option 10).

FARNDON ROAD ROUNDABOUT (B6166)
Currently being examined by HE as a RIS2 scheme. All
current options (A-C) assume grade-separation. [!]

NEWARK NORTHERN BYPASS
Currently being examined by HE as a RIS2 scheme.
Options include dualling of bypass; and improvements
to the Cattle Market Roundabout (A616) – at-grade or
grade-separated.

WINTHORPE INTERCHANGE
Currently being examined by HE as a RIS2 scheme.
Options include new free-flow link over A1 with new
A1/A46 junction to north of Brownhills Roundabout.
2014 Option 4a was for replacement of the two
roundabouts with a single gyratory layout.

HYKEHAM ROUNDABOUT (A4134)
Upgrade to roundabout assumed as part of North
Hykeham Relief Road proposal. North Hykeham
Relief Road bid for £148m submitted to
Government as part of Large Local Major Bid from
Midlands Connect. Scheme scheduled for delivery in
2026.

LINCOLN RELIEF ROAD
On-line dualling and Grade Separated Junctions
assumed between Hykeham roundabout (A46/A1434)
and A15 for Illustrative Strategy.

And an interesting one for 2035-40:

A15 LINCOLN NORTH (A46/A15) – M180 J4
WSP has identified two options for further
consideration: Option 5 (D2AP with regular
roundabout and local left in/out junctions) and Option
6 (D2AP offline with single junction between A46 and
M180).

The Leicester South Eastern Bypass has essentially been dropped as a strategic option with online improvement to the A46 preferred. (Option 10 was the online improvement, option 11 the SE bypass.)

All to be taken with a pinch of salt as beyond 2025 it's basically just a wishlist, but interesting nevertheless.
Last edited by jackal on Fri Jul 30, 2021 15:57, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
Truvelo
Member
Posts: 17467
Joined: Wed May 29, 2002 21:10
Location: Staffordshire
Contact:

Re: A46 corridor study stage 2

Post by Truvelo »

So potentially when I retire I'll be able to drive from Ashchurch to Lincoln without hitting a roundabout or traffic lights.
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
ABB125
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 19:58

Re: A46 corridor study phase 2

Post by ABB125 »

As mentioned, Gloucestershire Country Council (well, Atkins) are developing options for a bypass of Ashchurch, between the M5 and Teddington Hands roundabout (where the A435 meets the A46). Options for consultation were supposed to come out in January. I'm still waiting... :evil: Rumours abound, including the possibility of a road being built from M5 J10 instead of near J9, and (wait for it) building a brand new hamburger roundabout at Teddington Hands. I shan't comment further on this, but reserve my opinions on this matter for a new thread when options are publicised. Anyway, the Ashchurch bypass should be D2 throughout, though I don't have high hopes for the junction designs (especially on the M5). (Really, it should be A46(M), any non-motorway traffic can use the existing road, but it'll never happen.)

Anyone who uses the Evesham bypass (or goes through the town) will know that it doesn't work at peak times, particularly due to three lanes of traffic merging into one at the north end (A44 to Worcester, A46 from Alcester), though admittedly it copes well enough at other times. A new bypass would separate A46 traffic from A44 and local traffic, and would possibly facilitate the closure of the town centre to vehicles (as there would be plenty of capacity on the existing bypass). However, this would instigate riots amongst certain residents who are already apoplectic about the "one-way-ification" of Avon Street, and to a certain extent I can empathise: if you live in the (traditional) town centre, and need to go south, the bypass adds about 3.5 miles to the journey (each way).

I imagine that a new Evesham bypass would start at the north end of the Sedgeberrow bypass, leaving about 5.5 miles of single carriageway between two high-quality new D2 roads (were the Sedgeberrow bypass to be widened as part of the Evesham scheme, this would be reduced to aroung 4.5 miles). There are frequent junctions along this section, as well as private accesses, and in some places a poor vertical alignment (particularly here, where you can't see the line of traffic behind someone waiting to turn into the garage just beyond the brow of the hill). In addition, I believe this is the only stretch of the A46 between the M5 and Lincoln where houses front directly onto the road, and the A46 is literally the only vehicular access point to Little Beckford (a bit like Bar Hill and the A14, but without the road to Longstanton). Yet, this section isn't proposed to by bypassed ("Beckford bypass") until after 2040! So there'll be a couple of miles of substandard S2* between high-quality D2. Given the difficulties faced by residents of Little Beckford when turning right at present, what will it be like in future?

There should be an A46(M) built all the way from the M5 to at least the top end of Evesham. Ideally the current A46 between Evesham and Alcester would also become A46(M); a local access road already exists between the Evesham and Salford Priors roundabouts (the old A46), though no doubt the residents of Norton etc would complain about a couple of additional tractors passing through their villages! Beyond Alcester, I don't have enough local knowledge to comment, other than that it should be D2 (ideally motorway) all the way to Warwick.


*Not to worry, HE are installing some more renewable energy-generation masts (in addition to the ones they installed last year) between Teddington Hands and Beckford. In the recent letter they sent about it, they even let slip as to what the masts might be powering: variable message signs, apparently.
ABB125
Member
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Jan 07, 2020 19:58

Re: A46 corridor study phase 2

Post by ABB125 »

Oops, I forgot to mention that this website is worth a read, mainly concerning the Ashchurch bypass area.
https://taagroup.co.uk/

As you may be able to tell, they're a group of "concerned resident's" from Teddington and Alstone. Though from the picture of the western end of the M3/M27 junction they use, you might think they're based near Southampton... Aside from the obvious bias, there's quite a bit of interesting information on their website; particularly the newsletters section (if you're visiting on a phone, you need to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to see the newsletters).
Micro The Maniac
Member
Posts: 1175
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2015 13:14
Location: Gone

Re: A46 corridor study phase 2

Post by Micro The Maniac »

ABB125 wrote: Fri Jul 30, 2021 17:56 Oops, I forgot to mention that this website is worth a read, mainly concerning the Ashchurch bypass area.
https://taagroup.co.uk/
A perfect example of why WordPress should be a subscription product... a horrible user experience.

Putting my professional hat on, other than the (now standard) SSL/HTTPS, it doesn't appear to have any of the standard security options installed either...
User avatar
jervi
Member
Posts: 1596
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 16:29
Location: West Sussex

Re: A46 corridor study phase 2

Post by jervi »

Some of these are very interesting.
Although its so far in the future, it would be interesting to see what would happen to the A15 between Lincoln and the M180. If it did end up as a D2 could it become trunk again? It would provide a route entirely (or almost entirely) grade separated between the M1 and M180.
Post Reply