01 august 2011
Road improvements will ease traffic flow
Work has begun on improving the exit road from Teesside Shopping Park, helping reduce the time cars wait to leave via the route near the Morrison's filling station area.
A new, dedicated traffic lane will allow traffic to join the westbound A66 without having to give way or pass a roundabout. Stockton Council, which is carrying out the work on behalf of Teesside Shopping Park, started construction on July 18.
The improvements are designed to ease congestion and make the exit on to Teesside Park Drive near the filling station easier and safer. They are programmed to be completed by mid-October, in good time for the start of the Christmas shopping season.
Councillor Mike Smith, Stockton Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, said: "I am delighted the Council is working with the Teesside Shopping Park management to make these improvements for motorists.
"This is a very busy route – around 15,000 vehicles can use the exit road on a busy day, more than 4,000 of them via the route behind the filling station.
"The changes will help reduce queuing in the Shopping Park and make driving safer at the same time.
"We have programmed the work to keep any disruption to a minimum but we would ask motorists to take care while it is under way.
"During the first seven weeks or so, the work will be away from the carriageway, so motorists will still be able to use the road at the back of the filling station.
"For the final six weeks, we'll need some night-time closures to allow surfacing and finishing off. At these times, there will be some re-routing within Teesside Park to allow traffic from the filling station and McDonalds to exit onto Teesside Park Drive."
Teesside Shopping Park manager Mike Clarke said: "This is a significant investment for the centre's owner British Land. We have 1,500 parking spaces but at peak times the car park can become busy.
"The extra lane will make it quicker for customers to leave the car park and should enable those arriving to get parked quickly too, particularly when it does get busy at Bank Holidays and in the run up to Christmas. We are pleased to be working alongside Stockton Borough Council to improve the Teesside Park experience for shoppers."
Photo above shows Teesside Shopping Park manager Mike Clarke (left) accompanied by Stockton Councillor Mike Smith (right) taking a look at the road improvements to ease traffic flow on busy days that are underway at the Shopping Park. Picture by Doug Moody Photography
