Potential Ashbourne bypass routes announced

Three potential routes for a bypass for Ashbourne have been revealed.

A public consultation on the routes and associated transport issues will start on 23 November 2020, with every household in the town and surrounding area due to receive information shortly.

The three routes are as follows:

Western bypass – route A
This route starts on the A52 Mayfield Road, then takes traffic slightly further away from the town centre, joining the A515 Buxton Road close to Sandybrook Hall.

Western bypass – route B
This route starts at the same place as route A, but then follows a route closer to the town and joins the A515 to the north of North Avenue and Windmill Lane.

Eastern bypass
Detailed design work hasn’t been done on this route, which would be longer and more expensive to build that either of the western options. It has been tested, though, to see how much traffic it would carry.

Councillor Barry Lewis, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “I hope that everyone who lives or travels through Ashbourne will take the time to take part in our consultation.

“There will be a huge wealth of information online, with detail about all three potential routes and questions about other transport related issues in the town.

“Look out for the letter that will be delivered shortly and then let us have your views.”

We have made easing traffic congestion in the town a priority after a study by independent consultants in 2017 found that up to 12,000 vehicles using main routes through the town each day and
almost half (46%) of traffic using the A515 was through traffic – with somewhere other than Ashbourne as its end destination. The Council says an estimated £1.5m is wasted on traffic delays in the town per year.

The consultation starts on 23 November and closes on 18 December.