Land earmarked to build new relief road

Plans to build a new road to alleviate traffic in a town have taken a step forward after land was earmarked for its construction.

Blyth's two main roads, the A193 Cowpen Road and the A1061 Laverock Hall Road, each carry about 20,000 vehicles each day and there is heavy traffic during peak times.

Northumberland County Council has put forward plans to build a new relief road to lower congestion and has now officially designated a stretch of land to be used as the new highway.

Councillor Richard Wearmouth said acquiring the "right land" was an "essential next step" towards building the road.

"Anyone that eithers live in or visits Blyth will know the urgent need to get traffic off Cowpen Road, which causes nuisance and dismay amongst many drivers," he said.

The proposal includes a new single carriageway, called the Chase Farm Link, built between Chase Farm Drive and Ingram Drive.

The land had previously been designated as "open space" and is on the outer edges of Isabella Heap Nature Reserve.

The Chase Farm Link forms part of a wider package of proposed road changes, including upgrades to Laverock Hall Road, a new dual carriageway, roundabout upgrades and the widening of its remaining single carriageway.

More than £4.2m has been promised by the council towards the £60m scheme, while a business case is being considered by the Department for Transport for the remainder of the money.

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