A1058 Coast RoadImprovements A19

Preferred route announcement

Safe roads, reliable journeys, informed travellers

1

Introduction

During winter 2009-10, the Highways Agency held a public consultation exercise to seek the views of local residents, businesses and other key stakeholders on our proposals to improve the A19/A1058 Coast Road junction.

This leaflet summarises the results and presents the preferred route, announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 19 July 2012.

Scheme objectivesThe scheme objectives are to:

• improve journey times and increase capacity

• improve safety for both road users and local residents.

Newcastle

Gateshead

Washington

Chester-le-Street

SunderlandA19

A69

A1

A19

A1(M)

A194(M)

A692

A696

A69363

65

A1058

A19/A1058 Coast RoadJunction Improvement

2 3

Public consultation

The Highways Agency ran the public consultation between 26 November 2009 and 12 March 2010. We distributed a public consultation leaflet to residents and businesses in the local area.

We also delivered leaflets tolocal libraries, community centresand local council offices, and setup a web page where the publiccould complete the questionnaireonline.

We sought views from other groups, including county councils,environmental protection bodies, non-motorised user groups and other key stakeholders.

Preferred option - Option 4e Blue Option

This option places A19 trafficbelow the Coast Road junction

in a cutting to provide a freeflowing link. It involves the construction of two bridge structures to carry the roundabout carriageway across the loweredA19, as well as a new replacementbridge structure to support the A1058 Coast Road across the junction. Access to the junction to and from the lowered A19 carriageway would be via new slip roads.

Six options were presented to the public

Option 4d Red Option

Similar to the preferred option, this option transfers A19 traffic below the Coast Road junction to provide an uninterrupted passage through. However, thisis done via a fully enclosed tunnel section constructed belowthe junction. The extent of the tunnel construction would be inthe region of 185 metres. Slip roads would be provided betweenthe roundabout and the A19.

Recommended options

Option 3 Brown Option

This option raises the A19 carriageway above ground on an embankment to cross both the roundabout and the A1058 Coast Road on a 600 metre long flyover. Slip roads would be provided between the roundabout and the A19.

OPTION 3

To Newcastle

To Tyne Tunnel To Tynemouth

DIYSuperstore

SilverlinkRetail Park

A1058 Coast Road

A19

A19

Existing Road Layout

New Proposed Road Layout

OPTION 4d

Existing Road Layout

New Proposed Road Layout

To Newcastle

To Tyne Tunnel To Tynemouth

DIYSuperstore

SilverlinkRetail Park

A1058 Coast Road

A19

A19

Existing Road Layout

New Proposed Road Layout

Proposed replacement A1058 Coast Road Bridge

OPTION 4e

To Newcastle

To Tyne Tunnel To Tynemouth

DIYSuperstore

SilverlinkRetail Park

A1058 Coast Road

A19

A19

4 5

Non-recommended options

Option 3b This option raises the A19 carriageway above ground on an embankment to cross both the roundabout and the A1058 Coast Road on a 600 metre longflyover. It also includes free flowing left-turn lanes for the A19northbound to A1058 westbound,A1058 eastbound to A19 northbound, and A1058 westbound to A19 southbound. Widening of the A1058 Coast Road would also be required to provide the left turn lanes.

Option 3cThis option is similar to Option 3b,however it includes a looped slip road from the A19 southbound to A1058 westbound.

Option 4This option is also similar to Option 3b, with free flowing left turn lanes, the difference being this option places A19 traffic below the Coast Road junction through a tunnel of around185 metres in length.

These options were non recommended as the additional improvement works to the A1058 Coast Road do not represent good value for money; they havehigher costs compared to the other options, have greater environmental impact compared to the other options, and will takelonger to construct.

Responses to the public consultation

A total of 248 people attended the public exhibitions held in November 2009 and February 2010.

The Highways Agency received 534 completed questionnaires.

The consultation responses indicated an overall preference for Option 4e (the Blue Option).

6 7

Decision of the Secretary of Statefor Transport

The Secretary of State for Transport has considered the views expressed by the public and agrees that Option 4e (the BlueOption) should be the preferred route, confirming that the improvements to the Coast Road junction should be:

• upgrading the existing grade separated roundabout to a three level interchange

• placing the A19 in an open cut underpass

• replacing the existing embankment and adjacent bridges with a new three span bridge across the roundabout

Existing Road Layout

New Proposed Road Layout

Proposed replacement A1058 Coast Road Bridge

OPTION 4e

To Newcastle

To Tyne Tunnel To Tynemouth

DIYSuperstore

SilverlinkRetail Park

A1058 Coast Road

A19

A19

What happens next?

Option 4e will be designated as the preferred route for upgrading the A19/A1058 Coast Road junction.

Land in the vicinity of the preferred route will be protected from development. The scheme is considered to be a Nationally Significant Infrastructure projectand will, therefore, be consideredby the Planning Inspectorate.

Further consultation with stakeholders will take place, aiding the design of the preferred route, which will be developed in more detail to identify the land that will need to be acquired to construct the scheme. Scheme development will involve the design of the new layout, drainage requirements, pedestrian and cyclist access, and appropriate environmental mitigation measures.

Once this further consultation and preferred route development work has been completed the Planning Inspectorate procedure

requires the preparation andpublication of a draft developmentconsent order and draft environmental statement; a further round of consultation will thentake place on these published documents.

This consultation will give the public and key stakeholders a further opportunity to consider and comment on the more detailed proposals. The Planning Inspectorate will then consider all comments before coming to a final decision.

It is hoped that, subject to successful approval by the Planning Inspectorate and theavailability of funding, constructionwork on the scheme could commence from 2016.

8 9

Further Information

Copies of the plan showing the Preferred Route will be given to the Local Authority for planning and development purposes.

We have also prepared two reports:

• Report on Public Consultation which summarises the responses to the Public Consultation; and

• Scheme Assessment Report which explains the factors that determined the choice of route.

Further scheme details, including both of the above reports, can be obtained from the Highways Agency scheme website at:

http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/19802.aspx

Scheme email address:

A19coastroadenquiries.gsi.gov.uk

If you need help using this or any other Highways Agencyinformation, please call 0300 123 5000 and we will assist you.

© Crown copyright (2012).You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format ormedium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence:visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU,or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

This document is also available on our website at www.highways.gov.uk

If you have any enquiries about this publication emailha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk or call 0300 123 5000.Please quote the Highways Agency publications code PR37/12.

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