WORK SET TO START ON UPGRADING VITAL NORTH WALES LINK WITH ENGLAND

30 May 2003 10:15 AM

Construction work will begin shortly on a two-year project to improve links between North Wales and the North of England.

Minister for Economic Development and Transport Andrew Davies today (Friday, May 30) announced the award of a £14.5m contract to Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd to design and build the A494-A550 Deeside Park to Drome Corner scheme.

Mr Davies said: "This scheme will relieve congestion, reduce accidents and improve the environment for those living close to the trunk road on this important link between the North West of England and North Wales. It will complement road improvements on the English side of the border which will address similar problems."

The scheme is an on-line improvement of approximately 2.4km of the A494/A550 between the River Dee and the Deeside Park Interchange together with the construction of a new local road alongside connecting Deeside Park Interchange with Drome Corner and Sealand Road.

It will improve traffic safety and provide additional capacity on the length of the Trunk Road A494/A550 between the English Border and the River Dee. Residential properties will benefit as there will be a reduction in noise and visual intrusion from trunk road traffic.

A new local road between Deeside Park Interchange and Sealand Road will be built and the trunk road widened from dual two lane to dual three lane between Deeside Park Interchange and Drome Corner and to dual four lane between Drome Corner and the River Dee Bridge.

Notes

 The design and build method of procurement enables the contractor and designer to pool their expertise to produce the optimum solution to meet the Assembly Government’s requirements.

 This improvement includes the provision of two new side roads and the closure of the north facing slip road at Drome Corner together with the removal of the hump back railway bridge adjacent to RAF Sealand.

 The new side road on the western side of the A550 was completed in 2001 together with the closure of the northbound on-slip. Some advance works have been undertaken for the new eastern side road and the realignment of the western end of Sealand road.

(30 May, 2003)