What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

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Comstock
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What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

So there are some roadworks at Markeaton Island on the A38 and they seem to be putting more lanes in. Does anyone here know exactly what they are doing and how it is supposed to improve things?

Also is Kingsway finally getting some much needed improvements?
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Re: What are they doing at Marketon Island on the A38?

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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Truvelo »

I take it this is just a sticking plaster measure until the big grade separation scheme ever sees the light of day.
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

From the work I've seen so far on the southbound A38 entry to the island, they've provided for a crossing a few metres more toward the roundabout. Presumably this crossing will tie in with traffic lights, which will hopefully help with preventing citybound A52 traffic backing up and blocking the A38 traffic.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

Nothing for Kingsway then?
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Benny »

The reason that Island is so busy is that the A516 has become congested impossible during rush hour so people now carry on a bit further to Markeaton Island to try and get into Derby city centre that way.

It is shameful that the western side has such poor quality road links to the A38 whereas the eastern side has free flowing roads onto the A52.

The obvious answer would have been about 40 years ago to build a decent D2 road along Burton Road (A5250, former A38)to get traffic in and out of Derby's western/southern side as quickly as possible.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Truvelo »

What exactly is the problem with the A516 - the traffic lights at Kingsway or nearer the city centre? I've noticed when returning home in the afternoon via the A38 there's often a queue on Kingsway near Sainsburys. The 1970s plans for Derby I looked at only show the Inner Ring Road and nothing else to the west except the A38. The only thing that could be done to the A516 without much demolition is to add a flyover at the large roundabout outside the hospital where there's obvious flaring to make room for it.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Benny »

I've been stuck in traffic from Aldi all the way down Uttoxeter New Road to where it meets Mercian Way. Luckily I only have to go to Derby a few times a year for work but my colleague drives over 3 times a week and he says its awful.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

Uttoxeter new road is basically gridlocked in bound most mornings and to some extent outbound at evening rush hour.

A park and ride near kings way might help to solve this but I'm not sure how much land if any is available.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Helvellyn »

I remember as a kid lots of work going on on the A38 to the north of Markeaton, any idea why Markeaton Island didn't get sorted out at the same time? (was it ever even suggested?)
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

I'm guessing traffic levels then were much lower than they are now.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

Truvelo wrote:What exactly is the problem with the A516 - the traffic lights at Kingsway or nearer the city centre? I've noticed when returning home in the afternoon via the A38 there's often a queue on Kingsway near Sainsburys. The 1970s plans for Derby I looked at only show the Inner Ring Road and nothing else to the west except the A38. The only thing that could be done to the A516 without much demolition is to add a flyover at the large roundabout outside the hospital where there's obvious flaring to make room for it.
A major cause of congestion at Kingsway island is the retail park. for those that don't know, the retail park's accessed from Kingsway via a roundabout. The access road leads down the hill to another roundabout - you turn left for Sainsburys and Homebase, and right for rest of the shops, apart from Currys. That's accessed from a turn-in halfway up the access road. Trouble is, it's on the right as you come from Kingsway, so it causes tailbacks as people wait to turn right into Currys. A right turn ban, thus making people go to the bottom roundabout, turn round and left into Currys would help here, or possibly a mini-roundabout.
Last edited by marknotgeorge on Tue Jun 24, 2014 19:20, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

Comstock wrote:Nothing for Kingsway then?
If you mean the bit of the A38 south of Markeaton, some trees have been cut down, and some pipes moved on the northbound approach to the island. McDonald's is currently having a major refit of the car park, presumably to tie in with the roadworks.

As far as I can see, nothing's being done at Kingsway island.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

Helvellyn wrote:I remember as a kid lots of work going on on the A38 to the north of Markeaton, any idea why Markeaton Island didn't get sorted out at the same time? (was it ever even suggested?)
My dad rants about Bookbinder, the then leader of Derbyshire County Council, whom he blames for the lack of a flyover. Make of that what you will...
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

Comstock wrote:Uttoxeter new road is basically gridlocked in bound most mornings and to some extent outbound at evening rush hour.

A park and ride near kings way might help to solve this but I'm not sure how much land if any is available.
There's Kingsway Hospital grounds, but they're putting houses on that. There were also plans to put a busway along the old railway toward Friargate. I don't know what happened to those.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

marknotgeorge wrote:.

As far as I can see, nothing's being done at Kingsway island.
I did mean kingsway island, and it's a crying shame if nothing is being done there.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by ianwallis »

Kingsway island is being fully signalised with some local widening (flares) as a result of the development on the old Kingsway Hospital site. However, the HA have allowed them to build 200 (i think) houses before this needs to be implemented. The roundabout at the access to the retail park is also being made considerably bigger and with signal control, this time I think before any construction is allowed at that part of the site.
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Comstock »

ianwallis wrote:Kingsway island is being fully signalised with some local widening (flares) as a result of the development on the old Kingsway Hospital site. However, the HA have allowed them to build 200 (i think) houses before this needs to be implemented. The roundabout at the access to the retail park is also being made considerably bigger and with signal control, this time I think before any construction is allowed at that part of the site.
Glad something is being done- even if it seems we'll have to wait a bit longer
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by marknotgeorge »

Work's started properly on this this week. Lanes have been closed (from 3 down to 2) 24/7 on the north and south bound A38 approaches to the island, with further closures to 1 lane during off-peak times. In addition, the inside of the roundabout has been coned off and the crossing on the Queensway (north) leg of the A38 has been supplanted by a temporary system.

All this is (as far as I can see) to add an extra lane on the southbound approach, lengthen the 3rd lane on the northbound A38 approach and widen the carriageway on the roundabout.

The 24/7 closures were signed to last 7 days, but this has been extended to 14 days. Good job the schools are off...
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Re: What are they doing at Markeaton Island on the A38?

Post by Benny »

All this is (as far as I can see) to add an extra lane on the southbound approach, lengthen the 3rd lane on the northbound A38 approach and widen the carriageway on the roundabout.
Should have been done in 7 days easily. No doubt its the wrong kind of weather :roll:
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