Nightmare Mansfield junction 'clearly needs work' says transport secretary

Mr Shapps visited the junction at Mansfield Retail Park onto the A60 to see the amount of congestion "for himself" while visiting Mansfield to support Ben Bradley in his Conservative campaign for the next general election in December.

Residents have been voicing concerns about the junction for the last few years after more restaurants were built on the retail park.

Mr Shapps, who said there are plans to improve the junction, said: "I wanted to see this for myself.

"Clearly this gets completely blocked up. For 90 minutes or so in the height of the Christmas season.

"People unable to come out of this entire development, it clearly needs work.

"I've seen there are plans worked up for this now.

"If the Conservatives are re-elected we will make sure that this gets the go ahead in a way that actually benefits the whole community."

Mr Bradley, who was the sitting Mansfield's MP until Parliament was dissolved, previously invited then transport secretary Chris Grayling in January who also said "something" needed to be done.

Mr Bradley said: "It is a place that many residents have written to me about over the last few years.

"People can sit for an hour or more waiting to get out.

"We have made a lot of progress over the last year or so. Lots of plans have come together with the County Council so we can put a proper business case to the Department for Transport."