Highways Agency - Safe roads, Reliable journeys, Informed travellers

We are assessing our proposals for their environmental impact and will present the findings in an Environmental Statement which we will publish at the same time as the draft Orders (legal documents setting out our intentions).

The Environmental Statement will show the impact of the proposals in the following areas:

• Air Quality
• Traffic Noise & Vibration
• Cultural Heritage
• Ecology & Nature Conservation
• Landscape, Townscape & Visual Effects
• Road Drainage & the Water Environment including Flood Risk
• Disruption Due to Construction
• Land Use including Agricultural Effects
• Pedestrians, Cyclists, Equestrians and Community Effects
• Vehicle Travellers
• Geology and Soils
• Impact on Policies and Plans

We have designed the scheme to minimise any adverse effects on the local environment and would incorporate a range of measures to help lessen any impacts including:

• Earth mounds and noise fences
• Low-noise road surface
• Planting trees, shrubs and hedges common to this location
• New habitats for wildlife and new wildlife crossing points
• Lighting at junctions and along the single 4-lane section only, designed to reduce night-time impacts
• Balancing ponds to control water pollution and rate of discharge into watercourses
• Flood compensation areas to reduce risk of flooding
• Access tracks alongside the road to reduce severance

All existing public rights of way would be retained, supplemented or diverted appropriately.