An important milestone is to be reached on the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) project with the new link road being connected to Doncaster’s road network at Parrott’s Corner near Rossington.

From 9pm on Friday 13 November 2015 through to 6am on Monday 16 November 2015, work will start on changing the existing Parrott’s Corner junction at Rossington Bridge where the new three mile link road from Junction 3 of the M18 meets Sheep Bridge Lane and the A638 Bawtry Road.

Works on the junction changes have progressed well over recent months with minimal disruption but in order to safely make the connection and complete the carriageway alterations, a weekend closure of the road network is required.

Sheep Bridge Lane will be closed from Bawtry Road up to the access road leading to Torne Valley Farm in Rossington from 9pm on Friday 13 November until 6am on Monday 16 November.

The junction of Littleworth Lane and Sheep Bridge Lane also needs to be closed for this same period as Littleworth Lane is not deemed to be suitable or safe for high levels of use.   However access will be given to the re-routed bus service and emergency services vehicles.  Residents who only have access to their properties from Littleworth Lane are kindly asked to use the A638 Bawtry Road junction only.

From 10pm on Saturday 14 November until 6am on Monday 16 November, a section of Bawtry Road between its junction with Warning Tongue Lane and its junction with Littleworth Lane will be closed. Access will still be available to properties on this stretch of Bawtry Road including the Hare and Tortoise public house.

Signposted diversions and temporary speed limits will be in operation during the weekend.

The Parrott’s Corner Park and Ride site will not be in use but bus services will continue to operate a reduced frequency service with journey times affected by the re-route. More information on bus services is available at: www.travelsouthyorkshire.com

Peter Dale, Director of Regeneration and Environment, said: “Work on FARRRS is at an advance stage with surfacing works well underway as we look to get the new link road open early in the New Year.

“FARRRS is a transformational road scheme which dramatically improves access to the south of Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport and levers in major private sector developments which bring jobs and growth to our economy.

“We are carefully managing the works to minimise disruption for road users and in recent months at the point where FARRRS meets Parrott’s Corner, extensive works have been ongoing to create the new junction layout.

“In order to safely construct the new look junction we do need to close this section of the road network. Weather permitting it should be largely complete within just one weekend. Signposted diversions will be in place but we are aware this will be an inconvenience for people who use this part of the road network and we would like to ask them to bear with us and forward plan their journeys. We are confident that by working throughout this weekend we will be one step closer to FARRRS opening.”

Michael Widdicks, Project Manager for contractor Carillion, said: “Our major construction activities on the FARRRS scheme to date have largely not involved the public highway, instead we have had to coordinate our operations with two railways, two watercourses, Rossington Colliery and public footways. All of which have been accomplished with minimal disruption and delay.

“The works have now progressed eastwards towards Parrott’s Corner and for the past few weeks we have been constructing sections of the new junction whilst retaining the existing road alignment. The next phase of the construction works involves switching the traffic over onto the new highway alignment to enable the remainder of the new junction to be built. In order to safely perform this switchover and to connect the existing road to the new highway we need to close the junction and a section of Bawtry Road and Sheep Bridge Lane.

“We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this closure may cause but we assure you that every effort will be made to complete our planned works during this closure and thereafter we will endeavour to keep traffic flowing as freely as possible through the junction until the scheme is completed.”

The first phase of this Doncaster Council led FARRRS project received financial assistance from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, backing from private sector partners Harworth Estates, the Peel Group and Verdion and is supported regionally by the Growing Places Fund and the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership. The main contractor is Carillion.

For more information on FARRRS, including the diversion maps, go to: www.doncaster.gov.uk/FARRRS