Representation by Tees Valley Combined Authority (Tees Valley Combined Authority)
- Date submitted
- 13 May 2024
- Submitted by
- Local authorities
Funding has been allocated by the Tees Valley Combined Authority, from the indicative City Regional Sustainable Transport Strategy 2, for the delivery of a Darlington Northern Link Road. The project will therefore provide a new strategic link better connecting the A66 to the A1(M) and adjoining Major Road Network routes (including A167, A6072 and A68), with the proposed strategic link to be located to the north of the existing urban area of Darlington. Currently traffic from these routes, connecting to the A66 and the Tees Valley conurbation, have to route via inappropriate routes, through the urban area of Darlington. The intervention would provide the following strategic benefits: • better link the Tees Valley, including key assets such as the Teesside Freeport and Teesside International Airport, with the A1(M) and beyond; • better link Newton Aycliffe and South Durham to the Teesside Freeport; • better link radial routes north/west and west of the A1(M) with the A66; • relieve the existing congestion problems on the A1150 and A167 urban sections within the north of Darlington; • reduce the severance effect currently experienced by those residents adjacent to urban routes such as the A1150 and A167, including the opportunity to review active mode improvements; • reassigning traffic away from the urban sections of A1150 and A167 will also have a positive environmental impacts such as air quality; • better connections to housing allocations in the north of Darlington; • improve the resilience of the network, reduce journey times, improve journey time reliability and improve safety; and • review opportunities for active mode improvements parallel to a proposed road alignment, connecting to other routes and public rights of way. Development work is ongoing assessing options for an alignment, which will inform a recommended option for approval by relevant Authorities, to take forward into land discussions with owners and also a collation of a planning application. Options include those which route, east of the River Skerne, and then connect to the A167 towards/at Junction 59 of the A1(M). Whilst a decision has yet to be taken on a preferred alignment, the location of the proposed Byers Gill Solar, could conflict with a road alignment which routed via that area. If such a conflict was to occur, this may impact upon the delivery of the strategic benefits listed previous.