Much-Needed Loughborough Scheme Gets Government Funding
Long-awaited plans to boost Loughborough's economy, spark regeneration and improve safety can become a reality after a multi-million pound government cash injection.
Leicestershire County Council was told today by the Department for Transport that its bid for £15 million has been successful.
The money will be used to complete the inner relief road, connect parts of the town centre cut in half by the A6, make environmental improvements and bring in better public transport facilities.
Work could start on the project, which is also designed to cut accidents in the town centre, as early as next spring.
Councillor Stephen Hampson, Charnwood Borough Council's Deputy Leader, said: "This project will change the very heart of Loughborough.
"The inner relief road will help enhance regeneration of the town centre, remove and divert traffic from the A6 to make it safer and more attractive for shoppers and create a new improved public transport waiting area.
"It is a tremendous investment in the town and is fantastic news for businesses and residents alike as we hope it will bring new opportunities to Loughborough.
"This is also shows the importance of the Borough Council, County Council and our local MP working together to deliver investment in Loughborough."
Lesley Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for environment and transport, said: "I'm delighted that the government has recognised how important this scheme is to Loughborough and agreed to give us the funding to make it happen.
"The improvements have been over 40 years in the making and as well as making the town safer and more attractive, will attract further investment, development and regeneration, and help to secure a prosperous future for Loughborough.
The plans were originally submitted in August 2007 but were put on hold following the government's spending review last autumn.
It is hoped that the improvements will be complete by spring 2015.
To find out more, please visit the County Council website: www.leics.gov.uk/major_transport_projects
The improvement scheme will:
· Connect those parts of the town separated by the A6 to enhance development and regeneration of the town centre
· Remove traffic from A6 Market Place by diverting traffic on to a new purpose built Inner Relief Road
· Reduce accidents in the town centre
· Provide a safe and attractive environment for pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities.
· Provide better public transport waiting facilities and information systems
· Help reduce traffic demand on the relief road and the town centre road network by carrying out related junction improvements on the Loughborough A6004 Ring Road at Forest Road and Belton Road West Extension
Comments
Tue 20th December, 2011 @ 13:46
richard wrote:
Why do the plans show the junction at forest road being made bigger? This will make the junction much more dangerous. Epinal way does not need more junctions with multiple lanes on entrance and exit. The best improvement that could be made is to remove the roundabout and replace it with a crossroads with traffic lights both at forest road and the park road junction (where i've been knocked off my bike twice by motorists who are in a hurry and think that multiple lanes means its a fast moving junction).
If anybody gets killed there it's the fault of the council.
Rich.
Tue 20th December, 2011 @ 14:56
Charnwood Borough Council wrote:
This is a County Council project and therefore any concerns or suggestions should be directed to:
Project Manager: Bernard Evans tel: 0116 305 6834, email: tsd@leics.gov.uk
Mon 2nd January, 2012 @ 23:26
Brian Mayfield wrote:
looking at the stated aims & plans of the inner relief road, would it not have been better to improve Epinal way to duel carraigeway?
this would surely haven the the same effect of reducing the traffic flow by removing a current bottleneck in Loughborough's road system.
Brian
Tue 14th February, 2012 @ 13:02
richard wrote:
Making epinal way a dual carriageway is the last thing the people living near the dual carriageway need. narrowing the current dual sections might help though.
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