National Highways has confirmed that no lane closures are planned at the A52 Wheatcroft and Nottingham Knight junctions throughout December, following weeks of significant traffic disruption in West Bridgford and surrounding areas.
In an official update published on Friday 13 November, the roads agency also confirmed that remaining preparatory works at Nottingham Knight later this month will take place overnight, ahead of a further four months of utility works beginning in January 2027.
The revised timetable follows complaints from motorists, residents and local councillors about prolonged lane closures, lengthy queues and delays affecting journeys across Rushcliffe.
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National Highways has also provided further details of how the main construction programme will operate when it begins in spring 2027, saying it intends to keep all lanes open as much as possible during that phase.
The current work involves moving underground pipes and cables and preparing the two junctions for their reconstruction.
At Wheatcroft, lane closures and temporary traffic lights will remain on the A606 during the week commencing Monday 16 November while utility companies complete their work.
National Highways expects this phase to be finished by Friday 20 November.
A section of Flawforth Lane, where it joins the A52, will then be closed on Sunday 22 November between 7am and 7pm.
Attention will subsequently move to the Nottingham Knight junction, where overnight works are scheduled between Monday 23 and Friday 27 November.
Traffic management will be in place on the eastbound A52 leaving the junction between 8pm and 6am while an access point is created for utility works planned for the New Year.
The agency has confirmed that no lane closures are planned at either junction in December, although workers will remain on site carrying out activities away from the road.
From the week commencing Monday 4 January 2027, a lane closure will be introduced at Nottingham Knight for approximately four months while utility companies relocate pipes and cables ahead of the main construction programme.
National Highways has said it will publish details of any further road closures before they take place.
In its earlier update on 5 November, National Highways acknowledged the congestion caused by vegetation clearance at Nottingham Knight and explained why some restrictions could not be removed each evening.
The agency said workers carrying out utility diversions were operating close to live traffic and that some excavations needed to remain open, making the daily removal and reinstatement of traffic management unsafe.
It also confirmed that the January utility works had been rescheduled following feedback from stakeholders to avoid unnecessary overlap with activities at Wheatcroft.
National Highways said it would continue reviewing lane closures and signed diversion routes and would coordinate with other organisations carrying out nearby roadworks.
Main construction to begin in spring 2027
The agency has confirmed that the main construction phase of the scheme is expected to begin in spring 2027, following completion of the necessary preparatory works.
National Highways said that a different approach to traffic management would be adopted during the main construction programme.
It stated that it would aim to keep all lanes open as much as possible, which should reduce congestion compared with the current enabling works.
The agency has also clarified that the existing lane closure arrangements will not remain in place continuously until the overall scheme is completed, which is currently expected in spring 2029.
The A52 Nottingham Junctions scheme will see the Wheatcroft and Nottingham Knight roundabouts redesigned into so-called ‘through-abouts’, allowing some traffic to pass directly through the junctions rather than travelling around the existing roundabouts.
The improvements are intended to increase capacity, reduce queuing, make journey times more reliable and provide better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
The two junctions form the final phase of a wider package of improvements along the A52, which has already included work at Bingham, Stragglethorpe, Silverdale and Gamston.
National Highways said that traffic management arrangements and road closures could change at short notice and advised motorists to check its latest updates before travelling.
