PLANS to funnel more traffic down a ‘dangerous’ stretch of road should be put on hold until improvements are made elsewhere, according to a councillor.
Last year it was revealed that Section 106 cash paid to Barnsley Council to fund highway improvement works on Swallow Hill Road, Mapplewell, was to be spent on active travel instead.
A legal agreement between Harworth Estates, the developer of the 325-home estate on the former North Gawber Colliery, required the company to pay Barnsley Council £77,580 for improvement works on Swallow Hill Road.
During the public consultation, residents raised concerns about Swallow Hill Road, which is near the entrance of the development on Carr Green Lane.
The unlit road, which narrows to a single lane near Swallow Hill Farm, was described as dangerous by some residents during the planning process and they raised concerns about additional traffic from the owners of the new homes using the road.
More recently a planning application was submitted by Harworth Estates for the realignment of the junction of the new housing development and Carr Green Lane - but councillors have urged a re-think.
The Chronicle understands that the application has followed the results of a road safety audit.
The current junction contains a traffic island together with signage and road markings to direct traffic leaving the new estate up Carr Green Lane and away from Swallow Hill Road.
Coun Steve Hunt, who represents Darton East for the Liberal Democrats, said: “It will be very concerning news to residents that a committed infrastructure improvement vital to offset the impact of additional traffic from the estate is no longer to go ahead.
“Residents often rightly complain that the highway improvements that we need to accommodate extra traffic do not materialise after housebuilding and this is yet another example of that.
“I agree that there are issues with the junction but I am concerned that by trying to solve a problem an even bigger one will be created as more traffic will be forced down the dangerous Swallow Hill Road.
“People are frustrated that the Swallow Hill Road improvements have not been delivered and I cannot support the planning application as if approved it would just be rubbing salt into the wounds.
“A funding source needs to be found to get the highway improvements that residents were promised and only then should these junction changes be considered.”
Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet member for environment and highways, added: “Delivering meaningful improvement works to Swallow Hill Road would cost far in excess of the Section 106 contribution and there are no identified funding pots to complete the work.
“I can confirm, however, that the Section 106 monies have been transferred into delivering further active travel improvements within the Darton East ward.”
