A630
A630 | |||||||||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||||||||||||||
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From: | Sheffield (SK390866) | ||||||||||||||||||
To: | Armthorpe (SE649051) | ||||||||||||||||||
Via: | Rotherham, Doncaster | ||||||||||||||||||
Distance: | 24 miles (38.6 km) | ||||||||||||||||||
Meets: | A57, A6102, B6200, B6533, M1, A631, A6178, A629, A6123, A6021, A633, A6123, B6093, B6090, A6023, B6094, B6376, A1(M), A60, A18, A638, A19, M18 | ||||||||||||||||||
Former Number(s): | A60 | ||||||||||||||||||
Old route now: | A6178 | ||||||||||||||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||||||||||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Route
An odd mix of important strategic link and local distributor, the A630 forms a route linking three major developed areas of south Yorkshire.
Section 1: Sheffield – Dalton
The A630 starts its trek through South Yorkshire some distance further out of Sheffield city centre than it did originally, as it formerly started in Attercliffe and followed the now-A6178 to Rotherham.
Now, it takes over the Sheffield Parkway, as the A57 heads off towards Crystal Peaks and Lincoln. Shortly afterwards we pass over the B6200 (formerly the A57) which was as far into town as the A630 got when the Sheffield Parkway was originally built. We then pass the site of old mines at Orgreave and Waverley, now a technology park with several wind turbines that can be seen from the upcoming motorway. The (just about defunct) site of the Sheffield Airport is on the other side. Finally, South Yorkshire's only grade separated dual carriageway ends at junction 33 of the M1.
At the M1, the A630 swings back on itself a little. After a short dash downhill it meets the A631 at a roundabout. In this area, Rotherham Council have over a number of years been planting the verges and central reservation of the A630 and A631 with wildflowers, in order to attract bee and other insect life while at the same time saving on mowing costs. This has proven very popular, adding lots of colour to the road during spring and summer. At this point the road loses its primary status (and also its number for a short section). The two roads multiplex for a short period until parting ways again at the following roundabout (the A631 was here decades before the A630 turned up!). The road then adopts asymmetrical speed limits with the northbound carriageway having had its limit reduced from 50 to 40 due to the state of the surface. The road then passes the town centre via a number of roundabouts. After clearing the town centre it becomes single carriageway and passes Rotherham fire station. At Mushroom Roundabout the road regains its primary status, which took a more southerly route via the A631 and A6123.
Section 2: Dalton – Holme Wood
As we pass through Dalton we also pass the large steel works. We then pass the joys of Thrybergh Country Park before arriving at a notorious staggered junction at Hooton Roberts, the scene of a fatal head-on collision in 2009. After leaving Hooton Roberts the road gains a crawler lane as it heads uphill towards Conisborough, then starts heading back downhill towards the fine Conisborough Castle and the water tower. Coming up to Warmsworth, we pass near to Sprotborough Lock, with some fine birds around. At this point the road becomes dual carriageway once again. Then we pass over the elongated roundabout over the A1(M) Doncaster bypass at J36, and into Doncaster itself. At Balby we're joined by the A60, from Loughborough. This is the original terminus of the A630 and the A60 continued into town. It's now the other way round, however. As the A630 crosses the East Coast Mainline railway, it TOTSOs with the A18 at a bizarre half-GSJ, and winds its way clockwise round Doncaster. Just after the railway station on the left, it crosses the route of the Great North Road.
The road bypasses the suburbs of Wheatley and Wheatley Park and then reaches the A18 again and multiplexes with it for a few yards (the A18 having gone south around Doncaster, and passed the home of the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse), before splitting off to join the M18. It takes a dead-straight route via a few roundabouts before coming to an end at J4 of the M18. There has been some discussion that as it end on a motorway, it should join the hallowed ranks of roads that become motorways, but closer inspection of OS maps shows that the roundabout also provides access to a sand and gravel pit, as well as a farm and a house.
History
The single carriageway West Moor Link from Thorne Road to J4 West Moor Interchange, Armthorpe opened in August 1977 along with the northbound M18 section to Thorne per the Winter 1977/78 RAC World magazine. That M18 section opened on 11 August 1977 per The Gazette.
There were plans in the early draft of the South and West Yorkshire Multi-Modal Study to link the A630 at Conisbrough to the M18 near Long Leys Lane forming a new motorway junction 1A - This proposal appears to have died with final 2002 document.
Links
Rotherham Advertiser
The Times
- Wild flowers turn the A630 into a bee road (24.06.2019)
Grid references
- Handsworth: SK396865
- Canklow: SK433900
- Dalton: SK451941
- A1(M) J36: SE548007
- Hyde Park: SE571023
- M18 J4: SE649052