£5m road scheme set to start soon on Rugby Road area
DELAYED major works to improve traffic flow on a main road through Hinckley are set to start soon.
The £5 million works on Rugby Road to reconfigure its key junctions with Hawley Road in Hinckley and with Brookside in Burbage was originally set to begin in May 2019 and to finish that summer.
Talks are ongoing to buy land needed for the scheme, including with supermarket chain Lidl, who formerly had a store on Hawley Road.
Residents were asked for their views on the project in a four-week consultation in October last year.
A Leicestershire County Council spokesperson said in a fresh update: “We have reviewed the responses to the public consultation regarding the proposed Rugby Road and town centre improvements and overall the feedback has been positive.
“We are proposing to start the work in spring/summer 2020, however, this is dependent on Cabinet approval and land acquisition.”
The plans includes adding a left turn lane on to Rugby Road from Hawley Road, meaning additional land is needed from the corner of the junction.
A new lane is also to be installed at the Brookside junction, with a second lane to be built southbound immediately after the Brookside junction in Burbage.
The county council was previously asked by The Hinckley Times to clarify how widening the road would affect traffic levels, after a resident raised concerns it could worsen traffic in the area.
The authority said at the time: “Following a study we found that congestion issues at the Rugby Road/Brookside/ Dudley Rise junction was caused by vehicles trying to pass through the junction at the same time and not having the width of the road to do so.
“Making improvements will allow vehicles to pass through the junction more efficiently and reduce congestion for both peak and off-peak times.
“Overall, it was found that the draft proposal, which includes improvements to the existing signal junction, offered the greatest benefits in terms of reducing delay and journey times.”
A retail park with seven outlets including a Greggs and a Co-operative store recently opened on Rugby Road, between the two junctions.
Also as part of the works, there will be upgrades to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists in the Granville Road, Spa Lane/London Road and Coventry Road areas, introducing new traffic signals, signage, and reviewing resident and town centre parking facilities.
The scheme is being funded with £3.5m from the Government’s National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF), a funding pot which aims to provide upgrades to essential local roads.
The remaining £1.5m will be provided by Leicestershire County Council and third party contributions.