New expressway could split borough
A MAJOR new highway which skirts Hinckley and Burbage, unlocking greenfield land, is part of a transport blueprint being championed by the county council.
The concept of an A46 expressway is among a raft of proposals in a newly published “Prospectus for Growth”.
The glossy brochure outlines a ‘pipeline’ of projects aimed at supporting housing and industry and boosting the economy across Leicestershire.
It forms a blueprint for funding bids to Government with some projects more advanced than others.
The expressway is highlighted in map form with a curved arrow heading south, bending around the wider Leicester city area and Wigston, and looping back through the borough across the A5 into Warwickshire.
Its benefits are lauded as “providing resilience to M1 and additional capacity for north-south traffic through Leicestershire” and “relieving the Birmingham box”, as well as “unlocks land for development in Leicestershire and Warwickshire”,
However, the notion has been attacked by borough and county councillor, David Bill, who has condemned the lack of consultation.
He said: “From the diagram the route comes perilously close to Hinckley and Burbage but it is all so vague it could be going anywhere. It may be all ‘pie in the sky’ but surely local people should have been asked about this first.
“The proposal talks about relieving congestion and unlocking land so this could have far-reaching implications locally.”
The expressway was first mentioned earlier this year in a document from Midland Connect, a collaboration of 11 LEPs, Network Rail, Highways England, central government, 26 local authorities and the business community.
Its inclusion as a defined proposition within the county’s brochure clearly identifies it as a serious ambition.
Leicestershire County Council leader Nick Rushton said: “The A46 expressway route is an aspirational scheme that can unlock land for future housing and economic development.
“The county council is actively supporting the project which is being promoted by Midlands Connect and is included in its transport strategy, published earlier this year.
“The expressway would need to be delivered by Highways England with funding from central Government, however, it is far too early to say what route it might take and what impacts its construction could have.”
The plans for the A46 expressway have been in the public domain since March as part of the Midlands Connect strategy.
It would be a dual carriageway with grade separated junctions.
The work would take a number of years to progress and, assuming Government and Highways England support is secured, numerous consultations would be carried out as part of the development process, including potential routing options and ways to mitigate any potential adverse impacts arising from its construction.