Plans for Hickleton and Marr bypass under development by local leaders

Plans for a bypass between Hickleton and Marr and improved links between the nearby A1 and A19 are in development, local leaders have said.

Barnsley Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) have begun to develop the plans with Doncaster Council after they were given the green light by the authority.

If government funding is approved, construction could begin as soon as 2027.

Residents, councillors and local leaders including Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband have campaigned for several years for a bypass between the villages due to a string of fatal accidents on the existing A635.

Traffic has only been heightened in recent years due to the development of the Junction 36 investment corridor, which is home to several national logistics hubs.

The proposed bypass is expected to relieve traffic congestion and safety risks related to HGVs travelling on the existing roads.

In addition, links between the A1 and A19 to the east of the proposed bypass are set to be improved to manage congestion further and improve access to key development areas.

The authorities are hoping to secure funding from the government’s Network North scheme, which is set to deliver transport investments across the country in the wake of the cancellation of HS2.

Some £460 million from the scheme has been earmarked for road improvements in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The Department for Transport highlighted the bypass as a potential scheme when unveiling the details of the project, although bid submissions have not yet opened.

Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones said: “A bypass for Hickleton and Marr is much needed and something that as a council we have put forward as a major scheme for several years.

“Network North states a commitment by the government to launch a new £1 billion roads fund to fund new schemes such as the A1-A19 link and the Hickleton & Marr bypass. As these are the only named schemes within this fund, I would expect this puts us in a good position for this new government funding.”

“I do hope that government support our efforts, the schemes would be transformational for Doncaster North, especially for the communities of Hickleton and Marr. It will also assist Barnsley MBC with their Dearne Valley developments.”

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “The success of the Dearne Valley corridor is great to see, but we now need the government to match our ambition by giving us the funding to make the Hickleton & Marr Bypass and A1-A19 Link a reality, so local people don’t continue to be the victims of their own success.

“The government have said the cancellation of HS2 would mean we could fund our transport priorities; the Hickleton & Marr Bypass is certainly a priority for us, so I hope they now agree that funding package.”

Ed Miliband MP has commended the mayors for their work on the scheme following his campaign.