M1: New plans for junction 28 upgrade to be sent to government

Fresh proposals to cut congestion at a busy junction of the M1 in Derbyshire are to be sent to the government.

Regional transport body Midlands Connect said a new business case for upgrades to Junction 28 would be lodged with the Department for Transport (DfT) in the coming weeks.

New research, by Midlands Connect, said the long queues were costing the local economy £1.6m a year.

The DfT said it recognised the case for investing in the junction.

A proposal for a £40m upgrade of the junction, on the Nottinghamshire-Derbyshire border, was lodged with the government last year but no decisions have yet been made.

Firms based nearby have now renewed their calls for investment in the junction.

Daniel Varnam, from Alfreton-based haulage company XPO, said: "The junction has a tremendous impact on our business - from drivers' hours, TAC codes and fuel usage.

"As a transport company, it is very difficult to mitigate because the M1 is our main access to the rest of the country."

Jamie Dluzewski, of medical company Alliance Healthcare, in South Normanton, said the queues were delaying the distribution of the firm's medical supplies.

He said: "The daily issues we encounter with junction 28, being two minutes away, introduces challenges that could potentially affect the delivery of these medical products."

Midlands Connect said the junction had, in recent years, become famous for the number of queues that leave the motorway to head towards Mansfield, Nottingham and Derby.

It said there were also concerns about the level of noise and air pollution from cars and HGVs.

Midlands Connect's chief executive officer Maria Machancoses said: "There is a unanimous call for action to address the challenges which are posed at this junction.

"Investing in this critical infrastructure is not just about improving traffic flow.

"It is about unlocking the economic potential of the entire region, reducing pollution and keeping road users safe."

Bolsover MP Mark Fletcher and Derbyshire County Council have also lobbied for funding for the upgrade.

A DfT spokesperson said: "We recognise the case for investment at this junction, which is why National Highways is conducting early-stage study work to determine possible solutions for improving safety and journey times.

"We're committed to boosting connections in the Midlands, which is why we're investing £1.5bn in the new East Midlands City Region to improve lives and grow the economy for the 2.2m living there."

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