Plans for a £63.5 million road designed to solve a town’s chronic traffic jams have passed their latest hurdle.
Planning permission has been granted for the long-awaited 4.4 mile northern section of the Melton Mowbray distributor road by Leicestershire County Council.
Campaigners have been calling for the relief road for the town for some 40 years as increased levels of traffic have caused congestion and regular tail-backs of up to a quarter of a mile.
The new single carriage-way road will begin on a new roundabout on the A6006 Nottingham Road and run north of the town between it and Twinlakes Park then along the eastern boundary of Melton before rejoining the A6006 on Burton Road.
Deputy county council leader Byron Rhodes, a long time supporter of the proposals said: “Driving through the centre of Melton has become incredibly difficult because of the congestion.
“It’s the confluence of six busy roads and there is a narrow vortex of vehicles.
“Because of that the traffic is very often snarled up or stationary and that create considerable pollution.
“The bypass will mean many vehicles do not have to pass through the town centre and they will be able to travel far more smoothly and quickly around the edge of the town.
“That will reduce pollution and journey time.”
Ian Vears, the assistant director of highways and transport at County Hall, told the meeting: “This should relieve the congestion around Melton which is considerable, particularly because traffic is often diverted there when the A1 is shut.
“I’ve never been involved in a scheme that’s had so much public support - people are not asking why we are building it, they are asking when we are going to build it.”
The plan was passed by County Hall's development control committee though there was one vote against and one abstention from Liberal Democrat councillors who were concerned about concreting over green spaces.
The northern section of the road will be paid for with £49.5 million of Government cash and £14 million from the council.
What could happen to our road network
A second section of the road is proposed south of the town which would link the A606 Burton road to the A607 Leicester Road.
That is expected to cost some £23 million and a Government grant is being sought to fund it.
The construction of the road is set to unlock land for the development of some 4,500 homes split between the northern edge of the town and the southern side.
