Transport

Our transport strategy will minimise impact on local roads and maximise accessibility to the site.

As part of the delivery of Mercia Park, IM Properties carried out a programme of improvement works on the road network. This included the partial signalisation and widening of the carriageway on the Junction 11 roundabout to improve capacity and reduce queuing during peak times.

These enhancements were designed following rigorous assessments and modelling to mitigate a ‘worst case’ scenario based on surveys undertaken before Mercia Park was constructed.

With the site now operational, we’ve been able to measure the ‘actual’ traffic driving to and from Mercia Park. These have revealed that the traffic flows are significantly lower than the forecasted ‘worst case’ scenario they were designed for, meaning the scheme has provided additional capacity on the network that will help to accommodate the expansion proposals.

Highways modelling

To date, the site’s highways modelling parameters have been agreed with Leicestershire County Council and National Highways. Wider strategic modelling has been undertaken which shows there are limited impacts beyond the site access and motorway junction.

More detailed modelling of the local network has revealed an existing issue regarding lane usage on Junction 11, where there is too much traffic in one lane that is causing some congestion at peak times. Amendments to the existing lane markings along with a modest extension to the two lane section on the A444N approach to Junction 11 would result in less queueing and delay than is forecast to occur without the development.

J11 white lining adjustment scheme

Rebalancing the traffic flows around the roundabout is possible by changing some of the lane markings and white lining, including moving the B5493 markings to A444/Burton/A42(N) on the Tamworth Road entry and adjusting the white lining on M42(S) slip entry for M42(S) to the nearside lane.

Sustainable transport

As part of the travel plan for Mercia Park, we have extended the No.20 bus service from Tamworth to call at the site. Last spring, the No.19A service to Burton via Swadlincote and Measham began to serve each of the units at Mercia Park.

To provide a safe connection into Mercia Park and these bus services, a new central refuge crossing will be delivered on the A444. The existing timetable provides sufficient flexibility to enable employees to get the bus to and from Mercia Park within the current/standard shift patterns.