YOUR VIEW: More houses will cause traffic chaos on A61

Regarding the mounting concerns regarding the traffic congestion on the A61, south of Chesterfield, could I submit the following '˜six pence worth'.

We recently had MP Lee Rowley visit the Tupton area to hear of subjects the residents had any concerns about. The situation with the gridlock on the A61 appeared to be top of the list, particularly the proposed building of 300 new dwellings in the Ankerbold Road area. ​It is​ also​ proposed ​that 800 dwellings ​are ​to​ be built to​ the south of Clay Cross and additional buildings are to be constructed on the former Wingerworth carbonisation site - again, more traffic for the A61 to cope with.

I have just been reminded that permission has been granted for construction of more dwellings in the Wingerworth area, much to the dismay of the local residents, who again are concerned about congestion.

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Mr Rowley suggested an alternative relief road might be a solution, but where would this road be situated? Via Hasland? This is already subjected to jams at certain times in the village centre (Mansfield Road). To the north east at times this area is jammed, in the Calow area etc, especially at the Royal Hospital visiting times.

Before World War Two, the German dictator, Adolph Hitler instructed his advisors to oversee the construction of the autobahns to permit free movement for his military traffic and having served with the British Army in Germany I can testify to the wisdom of this policy.

So, back to the local problem. Bulldoze the housing on one side of the Derby Road? Convert the nearby railway mainline to a motorway? Damn the expense and build an elevated highway over the A61?

The present situation appears to be caused by a back-up of traffic from the Horns Bridge. It is not helped by the idiots who pull out of Storforth Lane into the traffic on the A61 and, when a gap does appear, between two Chesterfield bound cars, push their car’s nose into the gap and block traffic in both directions.

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A final point. On Monday February 5, my wife and I decided to see the Churchill film ‘Darkest Hour’ at the Pomegranate Theatre. It took one hour and 15 minutes to travel from Tupton Four Lane Ends to St Mary’s Gate car park in the centre of Chesterfield due to traffic congestion on the A61. Had it not been for the adverts we would have missed the start of the film.

To conclude, having worked as a joiner for four years on the construction of the M6 in Westmorland (now Cumbria) and two years on the M5 in Somerset, I would love to see a similar construction lead to removing the current gridlock situation on the A61.

Readers’ thoughts on the above would be welcomed.

Graeme Parmley

​Dale Crescent​,

New Tupton

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