Nottinghamshire County Council is preparing to sign off the final funding package for the long-planned A614 and A6097 improvement scheme, paving the way for major roadworks that will affect thousands of residents and businesses along one of the county’s busiest north–south corridors.
The decision, due before the Council’s cabinet on 18 December, asks members to formally accept more than £24 million from the Department for Transport and up to £12.6 million from the East Midlands Combined County Authority, alongside the County Council’s own contribution and developer funding. If approved, it will trigger the start of construction in 2026 and confirm that the authority is responsible for covering any unforeseen cost increases over the Government’s capped contribution.
The project, which has been in development for more than five years, aims to overhaul several junctions between Ollerton and East Bridgford. For residents, the Council says the improvements should eventually mean shorter journey times, improved road safety and better connections to jobs, schools, healthcare and leisure. But it also acknowledges that the works will be lengthy and disruptive, with traffic lights, lane restrictions and closures expected at different stages for more than two years.
The scheme covers enlargement or redesign of five junctions: Ollerton Roundabout, White Post Roundabout, Warren Hill, Lowdham Roundabout and the Kirk Hill junction at East Bridgford. The project has passed through every major stage required by Government, including planning approval in September 2022 and confirmation of compulsory purchase and side roads orders by the Secretary of State in January 2024.
Approval of the Full Business Case was delayed by the 2024 General Election period, pushing back key decisions and increasing costs. When the Council resubmitted its figures in February 2025, the total estimated cost rose to £41.76 million. The Department for Transport confirmed final approval in September 2025 but made clear it would not increase its contribution beyond £24.34 million, placing the risk of rising costs on the County Council or other local partners.
With inflation and the extended timeline continuing to affect prices, the latest estimated cost now stands at £43.7 million, with an upper envelope of £47.1 million. EMCCA has agreed in principle to underwrite additional risk, allowing the County Council to proceed without increasing its own contribution. The Council says this partnership is essential, as rejecting the funding would not only halt the project but risk the return of Government grant already spent.
If cabinet approval is secured, the first visible signs of work for residents will come in early 2026, beginning with archaeological investigations at Ollerton, Lowdham and Kirk Hill. The main construction works will follow in stages, starting with White Post Roundabout and Warren Hill in summer 2026, before moving to the larger junctions later that year. According to the programme, improvements at Ollerton alone will take 23 months, with Lowdham expected to take 16 months and Kirk Hill 12 months. Shorter schemes at Warren Hill and White Post are timetabled for two months each.
For those living near the corridor, this means a prolonged period of traffic management. The Council warns of “significant delays”, unavoidable temporary signals, and intermittent road closures, though further detail will not be published until 2026. Traffic sensors are due to be installed next spring to monitor delays, and the project team plans a series of “Meet the Contractor” events in affected villages next summer. These sessions will show final designs and outline exactly how traffic will be handled during construction.
The Council also notes environmental impacts. While the construction period will produce short-term emissions, the long-term modelling shows slight improvements in air quality and an overall reduction in carbon emissions compared with the current layout. New drainage systems at Lowdham and Kirk Hill are expected to provide better flood resilience for nearby communities.
Residents in Bilsthorpe will also notice that the long-discussed Mickledale Lane junction is no longer part of the Government-funded package. The Council removed it in 2023 over concerns about cost and land acquisition and now plans to fund a separate £5 million upgrade itself, though not until after the main corridor works finish. Feasibility work is planned for 2026, with construction unlikely before 2029, meaning the area will not benefit from improvements at the same pace as the rest of the route.
Across the wider corridor, the Council argues that these improvements are essential for Nottinghamshire’s long-term economic growth. The A614 and A6097 provide a crucial connection between the north of the county and the A52 and A46, and the authority says better junctions will support new housing, business investment and regional development.
The decision now rests with cabinet members, who are being told that rejecting the funding would leave the Council both financially worse off and without a viable alternative plan to upgrade the route. If approved, residents can expect the first works to begin in 2026 and continue through to the end of 2028.
