Green light for Lincoln East-West Link Road after public inquiry

The Secretary of State for Transport has given the green light for the construction of the £20 million Lincoln East-West Link Road.

Lincolnshire County Council’s plans were scrutinised at a public inquiry in March regarding the Side Roads Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders relating to the scheme, as several buildings will need to be demolished to make way for the road.

The appointed Inspector who presided over the inquiry in Lincoln has since produced a report and submitted it to the Secretary of State for Transport.

In a letter to the County Council, Patrick McLoughlin MP (Secretary of State for Transport), said that he had carefully considered the report, and did not consider that the objections constitute grounds for not proceeding with the scheme.

A mockup of the view from the new East West Link Road

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is terrific news and I’m excited that the project can now go ahead.

“The East-West Link Road is vitally important to Lincoln and will help to alleviate existing traffic problems, and provide new opportunities for business growth.

“We will now look to progress this scheme as quickly as possible, with construction set to start in the autumn.”

The link road, which will extend and link Tentercroft Street to Canwick Road, needs to widen the current surface for better junctions, new roads and double lanes.

In order to do this, a number of premises will have to be demolished.

This includes Quantum House, 11-13 Tentercroft Street, garages, offices, two Portland Street houses, The Regency Club and four industrial units.

How Quantum House and 11-13 Tentercroft Street would look once rebuilt

However, Quantum House and 11-13 Tentercroft Street will be rebuilt once work on the St Mark’s junction is finished.

The new building will house retail units on the ground floor and 14 apartments above.

As well as extending Tentercroft Street to link with Pelham Bridge, a number of new pedestrian crossings will be put in place along the stretch of road alongside cycle paths.

There will also be an additional lane added for buses travelling along the High Street trying to get to the city centre.

The extension of Tentercroft street is the first stage of the plans, with a future prospect of pedestrianising the section of the High Street between the barriers and St Mark’s junction.

A public inquiry was also held into the Lincoln Eastern Bypass plans this year. A result is expected later this summer.