Village is a thanks to Lot quieter the bypass

THOUSANDS OF LORRIES EVERY DAY

KEGWORTH was once besieged by about 1,200 heavy goods vehicles every day.

Today, the odd articulated vehicle still passes through the village. But people who remember the days before the bypass say it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be.

The bypass had been a long-standing aim of a community sick and tired of the number of commercial vehicles rumbling along their streets.

The battle lasted for 70 years and many thought it was a pipedream until funding was secured and the road finally opened in 2019.

“Satnavs still bring lorries here from time to time, but it’s a lot better now,” Kay Ryan said.

“It’s so much more peaceful. In terms of volume through the village, it’s so much better.

“The centre of the village feels more peaceful now and having to access the main roads without being stuck behind lorries is great.

“I certainly didn’t think it would be as close to us as it is, but it’s actually not a problem.

“Life has been better since and in the lockdown it really came in handy as a lot of people used it as a circuit to walk round. So it had a good unintentional benefit, too.”

The village sits near the M1, A453 and A50, so it is a place people have always come through, with passing trade a staple for businesses.

Scott and Kath Johnson, owners of Soar Tackle, in Market Place, said the bypass has not affected passing trade, but plans for development may undo the benefits of the bypass in the long term.

Scott said: “The bypass had to be done. You can’t really escape the fact of that.

“It’s been helpful but we know it’ll go back to what it was like before it was

opened when the airport expands and they build more houses round here.”

Kath said: “There’s definitely less big stuff in Kegworth now and that’s good.

“Passing trade is still good as people come here if they’re coming from the airport or anything, so we’ve not been hit.

“We still feel like a village, too. There’s a great community feeling so even as we get bigger here, it’s not affecting that side of things.”

And even though there may still be the sound of planes flying overhead, most people feel the quality of life in the village has improved on the whole. “Kegworth’s a big village and we’ve stayed together throughout this,” said Kath. “There’s a definite community feel that hasn’t been lost. It’s a lovely place.”

It’s so much more peaceful. In terms of volume through the village, it’s so much better

Kay Ryan