Cost of scheme to ease Parkgate congestion rises to £11.5m amidst delays

Plans for a new link road from Aldwarke Lane into Parkgate Shopping Park, as well as a 268-space park & ride facility at the Parkgate Tram-Train terminus were first floated in 2021, and works began in February 2023.

New documents from the South Yorkshire mayoral Combined Authority show that the project has been extended to Autumn 2024, when it was originally scheduled for completion by March.

Tilbury Douglas won the tender for the works in December 2021 on a fixed price basis, held until April 2022.

The contract was worth £8.4m but the planning application wasn’t submitted until August 2022, so the contractor ‘could not hold their tendered price which was increased to £9.2m’.

SYMCA documents state that the delay and budget increase is due to ‘various issues with earthworks, drainage, design changes and statutory undertakers’ diversions,’

“These changes and programme extension has resulted in an increase in the current expected contract out-turn at £11.478m,” it adds.

The authority agreed to approve the increased contract cost.

Rotherham Council say the scheme will improve bus reliability and journey times in the area by providing a more accessible route into Parkgate Shopping, as well as reducing traffic on the A633.

Highway improvements are also proposed at the Parkgate roundabout with localised widening on the southern approach and exit.

The new 800M link road will run from Stadium Way and Stonerow Way, ending at a new roundabout junction with Aldwarke Lane.