Skegness bypass included in long-term transport plan

Date: 16/11/2012

A bypass which could ease traffic in Skegness has been included in a long-term transport plan.

Although it has not been given maximum priority, the inclusion of the western bypass in Lincolnshire County Council’s Transport Plan has raised the issue up the agenda.

Local people and the business community would benefit from the new road, which would not be built prior to 2020, reports the Skegness Standard.

The route that has been proposed would link the A52 situated behind B&Q to Ingoldmells and remove around 250,000 cars from Roman Bank each year.

These vehicles are travelling towards Butlins and Fantasy Island and can cause congestion in the town centre.

Stefan Krause, Skegness town manager, compared the proposed infrastructure to the Burgh le Marsh bypass, which was completed in 2006.

In the past it has been thought that the project would not come into fruition, due to residents having to sell the property where the bypass would be built, but changes to the procurement process may have an impact on this.

The way that the government now approaches buying land for such publicly funded ventures is more favourable for land owners.

Mr Krause believes that funding for the project could come from European sources alongside the county council.

With this in mind, a £4 million bid has been submitted to the European Regional Development Fund.

Should this be granted, it would not just be the new road that benefitted from the money, but a number of projects in Skegness.

Meanwhile the A52 between Boston and Skegness has recently seen its road safety improve significantly.

Improved signage and a central ladder at the wider sections were introduced with £200,000 of funding from the Rural Development Project.

New signs included better information about upcoming bends and interactive notices implementing the 50 miles per hour speed limit.

Posted by Mary Treen

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