PUBLIC consultation on design details and changes to the A690 Stoneygate junction is getting underway.
Sunderland City Council is delivering more than 1,500 forms asking residents and businesses for their comments. Deliveries are beginning today (Friday 13 November).
You can also go online: www.sunderland.gov.uk/
There is a history of collisions at the junction with many happening when drivers take right-hand turns across the A690 dual-carriageway. The council is now looking at proposals to stop right-hand turns from the side roads across the two carriageways to minimise the risk of further collisions. All other turning movements will remain.
Councillor Michael Mordey, the City Council’s Portfolio Holder for City Services, said: “There have been far too many serious accidents here and it is a major road safety concern for many people.
“Because of these concerns we have been looking at how to make the junction safer and reduce the number of collisions. Now we are at the detail design stage we want to hear what people think about the new proposals.”
Consultation forms are being delivered across the Newbottle and Herrington areas. Comments should be returned by Sunday 6 December.
This consultation follows the initial engagement exercise carried out earlier this year when hundreds of householders and businesses were also contacted. The majority of respondents – eight out of ten – were against a proposal to completely close the central reserve. Yet, many respondents supported actions to improve road safety. These comments were used to develop this detail design proposal.
The junction provides access to Newbottle and High Lane. The south side provides access to Warden Law and Ryhope to the south and east. Drivers taking a right-hand turn have to cross a dual-carriageway.
There is a 50mph limit on this part of the A690 and the council recently completed works at the junction to improve sight-lines. Over the latest three year study period from September 2012 to August 2015 there were ten collisions at the junction – the majority (six) were from vehicles making a right-turn from the side roads.
Proposals were presented to the City Council’s Coalfield Area Committee last month. The Coalfield area is one of the city’s five administrative areas along with East, North, Washington and West.