Main contractor appointed for new Ryhope Doxford Link Road

Work on the next phase of a link road in Sunderland is set to begin with the appointment of a main contractor.

A programme to create a new Ryhope Doxford Link Road (RDLR) connecting the roundabout at Highclere Drive through to the Cherry Knowles site in Ryhope will get underway next month, with Esh Construction delivering the 600 metre single carriageway on behalf of Sunderland City Council.

A new four-metre-wide, three-span bridge for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians will also be constructed above the link road to allow the new highway to pass beneath Burdon Lane.

The Sunderland City Council-led project aims to unlock land for new housing developments, improve the transport network between Ryhope and Doxford, and provide sustainable transport routes to benefit the wider community and environment.

Work is expected to take just over a year to complete and is part of several works planned to bolster local infrastructure as more homes are developed in the South Sunderland Growth Area (SSGA).

The project is being partly funded by the developers of SSGA as well as using part of a £25m grant the council secured from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF).

Steve Conn, divisional director at Esh Construction, said: “Building on the success of the recently completed Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor Phase 3 and the current works to re-develop Parsons Depot, we are delighted to be once again working in partnership with the council to improve local infrastructure and transport links…”

“This scheme will involve deep rock cuttings of 7 metres, as well as a large volume of earthworks, drainage and service diversions. Throughout the scheme we will look to maximise the social and economic benefits for the local community by employing a local workforce, procuring a local supply chain and supporting local initiatives.”