A47 Wansford to Sutton dualling
We’re upgrading the A47 between Wansford and Sutton to dual carriageway to improve safety and ease congestion.
Latest updates
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01 July 2024
Preparation work will start soon
Our proposals were granted planning permission earlier this year. We've been holding public information events over the summer, ahead of early preparation work starting on site soon.
We’ll be doing site exploration, utility diversions, fencing, and vegetation clearance from November 2023. These activities will continue for a few months.
To manage and protect the habitats we are working alongside, and to ensure the safety of our teams, we have conducted pre-construction environmental surveys.
So far, we have done the following surveys:
- Water monitoring
- Surveys for protected species and invasive plants
- Ecological checks to ensure there are no nesting birds
- Preserving wildlife is important to us, so we are installing 17 bat boxes across our scheme to provide new habitats.
We continue to promote conservation, protection, and improvement of the environment around this project, and have identified practical steps we can take to reduce the scheme’s environmental impacts.
We are working closely with the Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England, and Peterborough City Council to ensure that all our work complies with current environmental rules and regulations.
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17 February 2023
Development Consent Order given the green light
We’ve been informed today (17 February 2023) that our Development Consent Order (DCO) planning application for this scheme has been granted. View the decision letter.
The existing A47 has one of the highest recorded collision rates for an A road in the UK. Traffic data from 2019 shows this section of the road is used by over 34,000 vehicles a day.
The scheme aims to improve road safety at Peterborough by reducing the number of collisions and consequently the number of casualties. Over a 60-year timeframe, the scheme’s improvements could prevent up to 160 collisions and save 42 people from being killed or seriously injured.
For more information on the DCO and to view the planning documents, visit the Planning Inspectorate website.
Keeping you informed
You can find out more about our plans and speak to our construction and project teams at drop-in events that we are looking to hold over the coming months. Details of dates and locations will be shown on this webpage at a later point.
To make sure you know what’s coming up, sign up to our regular project updates by using the link on the right-hand side of this page.
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10 January 2023
Development Consent Order decision postponed
The deadline for the decision on the Development Consent Order for our A47 Wansford to Sutton dualling scheme has been extended to Friday 17 February 2023. You can read the full statement here.
We remain confident in our proposals to improve the junction by dualling 1.6 miles of the existing single-lane section of the A47 between Wansford and Sutton, building a new free-flow link road from the A1 southbound to A47 eastbound, improving the roundabouts, and providing an enhanced route for walking, cycling and horse riding.
Our project will improve road safety for all road users, make journey times shorter and more reliable, and increase road capacity to support the area’s economic growth. It’ll also help cope better with incidents such as breakdowns, collisions, and extreme weather.
You can sign up to our regular scheme updates here, by using the link on the righthand side of this page.
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22 October 2021
Planning Inspectorate acceptance of scheme submission
Our Development Consent Order Application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in July 2021 and was accepted in August 2021, allowing us to progress through to examination.
The Section 56 Notice notified the public that the A47 Wansford to Sutton Development Consent Order application has been accepted for examination. View the Section 56 Notice.
The next steps in the process can be found on the Planning Inspectorate's website.
More information is available on the A47 Wansford to Sutton Planning Inspectorate’s web page.
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02 August 2021
DCO planning application has been submitted
On 5 July 2021, we submitted our application for development consent. On 2 August, the Planning Inspectorate accepted the application for examination.
The application includes a consultation report which features a summary of responses and describes which suggestions we were able to incorporate and demonstrates how we have listened to feedback.
Our application for development consent is available for the public to view on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. The next step will be the relevant representation period, which is when the public can register to make comments.
Please watch our video for more information on the Development Consent process.
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15 October 2020
We’ve updated our scheme design proposals
In 2018 we held a statutory consultation. We received over 680 replies. We have analysed all the responses and engaged with key stakeholders. As a result of that feedback, we are proposing changes to the design. Our new proposal includes an alternative northern route at the eastern end between Sutton Heath Road and the A47/Nene junction. Details can be found in our project update brochure.
Our proposal is for a 1.6-mile new stretch of dual carriageway which largely follows the existing A47 at the Wansford end, crossing to the north and running parallel to the existing A47. There will be a dedicated slip road from the A1 southbound to the A47 eastbound to alleviate congestion at the junction. The existing single carriageway for westbound traffic across the A1 bridge at Wansford will be kept the same. We’re also proposing improvements to the roundabouts at Wansford.
We have compared our latest proposed design against the 2018 design and have considered environmental and economic factors, as well as the complexity of the scheme construction, and traffic levels. You can read about the comparisons in the scheme Design Development Report.
We will be continuing to undertake survey works in the area as we head towards finalising our planning application.
Project information
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Overview
Our proposal is for a new stretch of dual carriageway which largely follows the existing A47 at the Wansford end, crossing to the north and running parallel to the existing A47 after the Scheduled Monument. There will also be a dedicated slip road from the A1 southbound to the A47 eastbound to alleviate congestion at the junction.
The existing single carriageway for westbound traffic across the A1 bridge at Wansford will be kept the same. There will be a new southern arm coming from the eastern Wansford roundabout for the filling station and access to Sacrewell Farm.
The Nene roundabout will be relocated further to the west, close to the current Sutton Heath Road junction.
The village of Upton will now access the A47 via Sutton Heath Road, joining at the new roundabout. The existing A47 will be kept for local access to Sutton village.
The revised proposals that we intend to submit for planning approval include alterations to the roundabouts at Wansford. Improvements at the Western Wansford roundabout will include an improved entry from the A1 northbound slip road, an improved exit to the A47 eastbound, a new left turn lane between A1 northbound slip road and the A47 eastbound, rather than a merged lane and a new cycle crossing on the A47 west of the Wansford roundabouts, removing cycles from the A1 bridge.
Improvements at the Eastern Wansford roundabout will include an enlarged roundabout and a new lane to the south of the roundabout, providing access to the filling station and to Sacrewell Farm under the new A47.
The latest proposed design also includes the removal of the bus stop and the direct road access to the A1 from the properties adjacent to Windgate Way due to the close proximity to the proposed southbound A1-A47 slip road; the Sutton Drift will be closed to vehicles; a new walking and cycling route will pass under the A47 at the existing Sutton Heath junction and a straight link road will be formed from the relocated A47 Sutton roundabout, linking into the existing Sutton Heath Road at its junction with Langley Bush Road.
Upton Road will no longer be directly accessed from the A47. New passing places will be discussed with the local authority.
Benefits
This project aims to:
- improve road safety for all road users, including a safer route between local communities for cyclists, pedestrians, equestrians and other non-motorised users
- contribute to sustainable economic growth by supporting opportunities for employment and residential developments
- reduce congestion delays, making journey times more reliable and increasing the overall road capacity of the A47
Consultations
A47 Wansford to Sutton Dualling - Statutory Consultation - 18 September 2018 to 12 November 2018
A47 Wansford to Sutton dualling - 13 March 2017 to 21 April 2017
DCO requirements documentation
Requirements are conditions that have been included in the DCO, which control how the project must be implemented (constructed and maintained). Implementing the DCO in accordance with these conditions involves completing consultation and approval processes that have been defined in the DCO. These processes are referred to here and in the DCO as “discharging” the requirements.
This Requirements Register is a live document and will be updated as the process to discharge the requirements progresses.
The latest version will always be published below:
Register of Requirements for the Wansford to Sutton Development Consent Order 2023
This register will be maintained for three years following completion of the project. The register sets out:
- each requirement
- whether the requirement needs approval by the Secretary of State (or other duty holder)
- whether any approval has been applied for or given.
Documents
Project background
Scheme Assessment Report (2018)
Appendix A Existing Features Sheet 1
Appendix A Existing Features Sheet 2
Appendix B Collision Data A47 Wansford
Appendix C Figure 1 Superficial Geology
Appendix C Topography
Appendix D Existing Utilities Sheet 1
Appendix D Existing Utilities Sheet 2
Appendix E Existing Area 6 Diversion Route
Appendix F Constraints Plan
Appendix G Route Options 1 to 9
Appendix H EAST Wansford to Sutton Sifting Results
Appendix I Environmental and Engineering Ranking
Appendix J Route Options 10 plus 1a plus 1b
Appendix K Route Options 1 8 10 with side roads
Appendix L PCF Stage 1 AST Option 10
Appendix M Option 1 with Indicative Side Roads and Junctions
Appendix M Option 2 with Indicative Side Roads and Junctions
Appendix M Option 3 with Indicative Side Roads and Junctions
Appendix N Exceptions and Limitations Document
Appendix O PRD Minutes
Appendix P Preferred Route Alignment
Appendix Q Response to Filtered Public Comments
Appendix R PCF Stage 2 ASTs Options 1
Appendix R PCF Stage 2 ASTs Options 2
Appendix R PCF Stage 2 ASTs Options 3
Appendix S Wansford PRA Leaflet
Related Road projects
Traffic information
Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.X
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