Anyone who commutes to the southern part of Newtownards in the evening will know how time consuming it is to come in on the A20 from Dundonald, go straight on at the roundabout past the Ards Shopping Centre and then have to wait to turn right because the 4 lane road stops dead after a few hundred metres at a Give-Way sign on Circular Road.

The long overdue Frederick Street Link scheme will see this situation remedied by the provision of a 4-lane road direct from Nursery Road to the roundabout at Frederick Street. This is best illustrated by the following map (not to scale):

According to the annual report presented to Ards Borough Council by Roads Service in Autumn 2005, the scheme was timetabled to begin in "early 2007". However the scheme then went to a public inquiry, which was heard in December 2006. This inquiry recommended proceeding with no design modifications.

The scheme is so simple, so short (300 metres) and the benefits so great that it is difficult to see why it has not been progressed long before now. However it will require the demolition of some existing structures in the grounds of Ards Hospital, including an historic square chimney stack (see pictures below). It will also run very close to the sides of existing houses on Circular Road (again, see pictures). Note that the cost of £1.1m given in 2005 had increased to £2m by the time this public consultation was released in July 2006.

Progress

Update 24 Apr 08: Site clearance works began yesterday, mainly soil removal. Some demolition works, especially on the old chimney pictured below, will likely follow suit. If work proceeds on schedule it should be completed and open to traffic by the end of September. Thanks to the two site visitors who wrote to let me know what they could see.

Update 7 Mar 08: According to the Newtownards Chronicle, the contract with the construction company was signed on 27 February 2008. This suggests that work is on schedule.

Update 6 Feb 08: According to this parliamentary written answer on 1 Feb the project is due to commence on the ground in March/April 2008. The cost has also risen slightly, from £2.1m to £2.2m.

Update 27 Sep 07: In response to a query to Roads Service, it now seems that the scheme will proceed "during the financial year", "subject to the successful conclusion of tendering processes and the availability of necessary funding". Work is now estimated to last 5 months.

Update 14 Dec 06: At the public inquiry it was stated that work is likely begin in June 2007 and last 24 weeks (about 6 months). It was also made clear that the current Nursery Road / Circular Road junction will be maintained and converted to a traffic-light-controlled crossroads.

Photos

The view looking east along Nursery Road, Newtownards, towards its current terminus on Circular Road. The new road will continue straight across Circular Road. Note the chimney in the distance. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]

Looking west across the Frederick Street roundabout from John Street. The new road will emerge roughly where the chimney is. This is the same chimney as seen in the previous image. [Photo by Wesley Johnston]