Work can now start on improving the A614 and A6097 roads in North Nottinghamshire after  multi-million-pound investment was secured for the region.

The funding, which East Midlands mayor Claire Ward formally agreed with transport secretary Heidi Alexander this week, will help tackle congestion and make journeys quicker and easier at key pinch points in Lowdham, Ollerton and Blidworth.

The £41.5m improvements are being made with support from the Department for Transport (DfT), which is contributing £31.5m – £24m of that is from the Major Road Network Programme,  £7.5m is from East Midlands Combined County Authority using the DfT Transport to City Regions (TCR) funding and £10m is coming from Nottinghamshire County Council.

The road improvements will create wider-reaching benefits for the region including:

• Direct support for up to 1,600 jobs
• Enabling more than 5,000 new homes, including the major redevelopment of RAF Newton
• Reduce journey time and delays for all users, including multiple bus services
• A cut in carbon emissions by over 45,000 tonnes, due to less congestion at busy junctions
• Faster and more reliable journeys on key routes
• Better access to jobs, and services across the region

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “This project is a big win for our communities. I’m driving this investment because better transport means better lives.

“This multi-million investment we’re putting into the A614/A6097 corridor is a game changer for North Nottinghamshire. By tackling congestion at key pinch points in Edwinstowe, Lowdham, Ollerton and Blidworth, we’re not only reducing journey delays and improving bus journeys, but we’re also making it quicker and easier for people to get where they need to be.

“That means more time for families, better access to work and services, and a real boost to productivity and well-being. This funding will significantly improve the daily lives of local residents, whilst opening up the potential for new homes and drive economic growth in the area.

“We’re laying the foundations for cleaner, greener, and more accessible travel, whether you’re walking, wheeling, cycling, or taking the bus. This is just one example of how we’re using our devolved powers to deliver real change for the people across the East Midlands.”

This is major route and priority scheme for East  Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and the mayor, as it is a major travel corridor across a huge area of the region and will include improvements at a number of junctions, including Ollerton Roundabout, Whitepost Roundabout and Lowdham Roundabout.

The scheme will support planned housing developments along the route in Edwinstowe, Ollerton, Blidworth and Newton (redevelopment of the former RAF site).

Work on the scheme is due to begin in January next year, with the improvements being delivered alongside new housing developments and economic growth plans.