Cost of Newton Bar roundabout improvement works has increased by £1m

The rise in costs to complete the revamp of Newton Bar roundabout has been blamed on ‘inflationary pressures’.

The A650 roundabout to the north of the city centre is currently being redeveloped with new pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, cycling lanes and carriageways.

The total cost of the project is now expected to be £9.7m.

Wakefield Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) look set to spend £500,000 each to cover the extra funding.

A report to senior councillors states: “This will facilitate the delivery of the Newton Bar roundabout improvement scheme and deliver a number of transportation objectives, including road safety, pedestrian/cycling facilities, journey time improvements to all users, and carbon reduction.”

The report continues: “Without the injection of additional funding into the capital programme there will be insufficient funds for the completion of the A650 Newton Bar Roundabout.

“The council is contractually obliged to pay the works contractor even if work stops, an incomplete scheme will result in reputational damage to the council.

“An incomplete scheme would also result in environmental damage being caused, without the mitigating effects of the completed scheme.”

The works are expected to be completed to be completed by autumn.

The project has included carrying out work to prevent flooding on an area of land close to Snowhill View and Bradford Road.

The project was opposed by campaign groups Just Transition Wakefield and Friends of the Earth, mainly because of the axing of trees on the roundabout and the pollution caused by more car journeys.

Cabinet members are expected to approve spending an additional £500,000 at meeting on Tuesday March 21.

They are also expected to agree to accept £500,000 from WYCA to deliver the scheme.