£5m roads upgrades are held up once again
WORK NOW SET FOR SPRING
A DELAYED major scheme to improve two key junctions on a main road in Hinckley and Burbage has been set back again due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The £5 million project will result in upgrades in Rugby Road, at its Hawley Road junction in Hinckley, at the Brookside junction in Burbage, along with pedestrian and cycling improvements at Granville Road, Spa Lane, London Road and Coventry Road.
A new parking zone for residents will also be created and there will be a review of town centre parking facilities.
Work was originally due to start in May 2019 and finish in summer 2019, but the start date was delayed to summer 2020, and the project has now been pushed back to spring 2021.
Councillor Trevor Pendleton, cabinet member for highways and transport at Leicestershire County Council, said: “Rugby Road is a key route in Hinckley and it’s important we continue to invest in our transport network as the borough grows, with new homes, jobs and communities.
“Starting the work in spring 2021 will ensure the work will be completed before the busy Christmas period where highway works are typically halted.
“This scheme will improve sustainable transport options in and out of the town with quicker and more reliable journeys and improve air quality by encouraging more people to walk and cycle.”
A left-turn lane onto the road will be added from Hawley Road, meaning additional land is needed from the corner of the junction.
A new lane is also planned at the Brookside junction, with a second lane to be built southbound immediately after Rugby Road meets Brookside.
Changes to the scheme were approved in March this year, including retaining a line of trees that run parallel to the southbound road immediately after the Brookside junction.
The trees were originally to be removed to create the new lane.
However, the second version of the plans includes removing a footpath on that section, and there are concerns that as the road goes up a steep hill, cyclists could find the incline too hard to pedal up and then have nowhere to dismount.
The council is to carry out a formal public consultation for the residents parking element of the scheme at the end of September.
Details of the traffic management required for the scheme and a programme for the works will be issued once finalised.
The scheme is being funded with £3.5 million from the government’s National Productivity Investment Fund, a funding pot for upgrades to essential roads.
The remaining £1.5 million will be provided by Leicestershire County Council and third party contributions.
More information on the scheme is available on the Leicestershire County Council website.