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The press release reads as follows:


EAST MIDLANDS A453 WIDENING MOVES A STEP CLOSER AS NEW CONGESTION-BUSTING PLANS PUBLISHED

Highways Agency
ROADS A453 East Midlands
29 Jan 2009 - 09:00
HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (EM/217/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service 29 January 2009

Page 1

Details of a major road widening scheme to cut congestion, improve safety and help boost the East Midlands economy have been published today.

The improvement scheme would see the vital A453 widened between Junction
24 of the M1 and the A52 at Nottingham. This would bring faster and safer journeys to one of the most heavily congested routes in the East Midlands - and the main road link between Nottingham, the M1 and East Midlands Airport.

The improved A453 will also provide direct access to the new East Midlands Parkway Station - opened by Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon on Monday this week - making it easier to make journeys combining road and rail.

Transport Minister Andrew Adonis said:

"Widening the A453 will have huge benefits for everyone who uses the route - currently one of the most heavily congested roads in the region.
Without improvements, congestion on this important link between Nottingham, the M1 and East Midlands Airport is set to get even worse with the number of vehicles using the route predicted to increase by up to 4,000 a day by 2027.

"The proposed scheme - which the East Midlands region has confirmed is a priority - will reduce congestion, improve journey time reliability, boost the region's economy and make the route safer. It will also take traffic away from some communities who currently suffer from rat-running vehicles trying to avoid congestion.

"It won't just be motorists who gain from the scheme. By increasing the road's capacity and improving its design, pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will benefit as footpaths and bridleways crossing the A453 will be easier and safer to use. These will form part of a continuous pedestrian and cyclist route nearly 6.2 miles long between Kegworth (Long Lane) and Clifton."

Main works could start on site in winter 2010/11, subject to completion of statutory processes and consideration of any objections to the scheme. Subject to funding confirmation, this would allow the 7.1 miles stretch of widened road to open in 2012/13.

Draft orders, an Environmental Statement and a revised Preferred Route for the scheme - including proposals for an off-line section between Thrumpton and Mill Hill - have been published today. There will be a 13-week period during which statutory bodies, groups or individuals can comment on, support or object to the draft Orders.

The draft Orders and Environmental Statement can be viewed at a number of locations in the area (full details in notes to editors) as well as at two public exhibitions.

The exhibitions take place at the following times and venues:

* Wednesday, 25 February, from 2pm to 8pm, Kegworth Whitehouse Hotel, Packington Hill, Kegworth, Leicestershire, DE74 2DF

* Friday, 27 February 10am to 8pm and Saturday, 28 February 10am to 4pm, South Nottingham College, Farnborough Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NG11 8LU

Notes to Editors
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. There will be a media preview of the exhibition at the Whitehouse Hotel, Kegworth on Wednesday, 25 February from 1pm, when Project Manager Jonathan Pizzey will be available for interview. Please confirm attendance with Dee Smith on the number below.

3. Background to the scheme is available on the Highways Agency website at  http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/4337.aspx

4. The scheme will involve constructing 5.6 miles (9km) of dual two-lane carriageway between M1 Junction 24 and a new roundabout at Mill Hill, with a national speed limit. The scheme will provide direct access into the new East Midlands Parkway Station and could accommodate a future connection to the proposed Nottingham Express Transit tram terminus on the edge of Clifton. Between Thrumpton and the Mill Hill roundabout
(1.7miles) the proposed alignment will be off line. This also involves the construction of 9 under-bridges and 2 over-bridges. In the urban section, the proposal is for 1.6 miles (2.5km) a four-lane single carriageway (without a central reserve barrier) with 3 at-grade signalized roundabouts. The road currently carries up to 30,000 vehicles per day and a high proportion of heavy goods vehicle, this is expected to increase by up to 4,000 a day by 2027.

5. Comments on the draft Orders and Environment Statement can be made until Thursday, 30 April 2009 and should be sent to A453 Widening Team, The Highways Agency, 5 Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL.

6. Copies of the draft Orders and Environmental Statement can be viewed at the following locations:
* Government Office for the East Midlands, The Belgrave Centre, Stanley Place, Talbot Street, Nottingham NG1 5GG
*
Rushcliffe Borough Council, Civic Centre, Pavilion Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 5FE
* North West Leicestershire District Council, Council Offices, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 3FG
* Nottingham City Council,
Infopoint, City Treasury, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BT
*
Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, West Bridgford, Nottingham
NG2 7QP
* Leicestershire County Council, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8RA
* Kegworth Library, High Street, Kegworth, Leicestershire DE74 2DA
* Clifton Library, Southchurch Drive, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 8AB
* Gotham Library, Village Hall, Nottingham Road, Gotham, Nottingham NG11 0HE
* Highways Agency, 5 Broadway, Broad Street, Birmingham B15 1BL

7. A revised Preferred Route for the scheme has also been published today. The changes include proposals for an off-line section between Thrumpton and Mill Hill, which were presented at a supplementary public consultation in June 2007. The revised preferred route is an improved alignment away from the existing A453 which will enable the existing road to be retained for local access including use by cyclists and pedestrians.

8. Depending on the nature and number of objections the Highways Agency receives, a Public Inquiry may be held before an independent Inspector.

9. Following any inquiry, the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government would consider the Inspector's report, together with any objections and representations made, before making their decision on the future of the scheme. If the scheme proceeds, the Highways Agency will make statutory Orders and purchase the land required for the scheme.

10. The East Midlands region has confirmed that the scheme, which has a cost estimate range of GBP141 to GBP194 million, is a priority for funding from money provided by the Government in the Regional Funding Allocation.

11. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:
* From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at  http://www.trafficradio.org.uk.
To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".
* On the internet at
 http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
* By phone from the Highways
Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls to 0870 numbers cost no more than 8p/min from BT residential landlines.
Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary.) Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

12. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website  http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary.)

Receive our national and regional press releases by RSS and get the latest headlines straight to your desktop the moment we publish them to our website. Choose to receive a national press feed or one of our regionalised feeds - go to  http://www.highways.gov.uk/rssnews for more information.

Issued on behalf of the Highways Agency by COI News and PR, East Midlands.

For enquiries from the media, journalists and researchers only, please contact Dee Smith at COI News and PR on 0115 971 2788 or  dee.smith@coi.gsi.gov.uk

Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office on 0207 081 7443.

 http://mediapoint.press.net/article.jsp?id=5441962