Work on Dronfield bypass to last for over a month

Work on a major road in Derbyshire is set to start next month.
The Dronfield bypass.The Dronfield bypass.
The Dronfield bypass.

Derbyshire County Council is surface dressing a five-mile stretch of the A61 Dronfield bypass, between Unstone and Chesterfield, starting the first week in July.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The work will be carried out in stages, starting on July 5, and is due to be completed by August 13.

Between these dates, weekday closures will be in place from 7pm to 6am allowing the road to remain open during the day.

The first phase of the work will involve patching and carrying out minor repairs in preparation for surface dressing the section of the road from Bowshaw roundabout to Whittington Moor roundabout.

The road will remain open during the day on July 13 before closing again at midnight. It will then reopen again at 6am on July 15.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It will also be open during the day on July 20 and close again at midnight, reopening at 6am on July 22.

During these weekend overnight closures chippings will be laid and rolled.

Further weekday closures will be in place from 7pm to 6am from July 22 until August 13 when the work is expected to be completed. This is so excess chippings can be swept away and white line road markings be reinstated.

During the closures, signposted diversions will be in place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillor Simon Spencer, cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, said: "Keeping Derbyshire moving is a top priority for us which is why we are doing as much of the work as we can at less busy times to keep disruption to a minimum.

"This is a major road and these are vital works to keep the road in a condition which is safe and reliable for all road users.

"We will carry the work out as quickly as possible and get the bypass fully reopen at the earliest opportunity."

A council spokesperson added: "Surface dressing is a way of extending the life of a road surface by another 10 to 15 years.

"First, any potholes are mended, then a layer of bitumen is put down which acts as a kind of glue to the chippings which are rolled on top.

"Driving over the chippings helps to further bed them in."