August 26, 2016 10.39 am This story is over 91 months old

Council offers hope of Horncastle bypass to end traffic chaos

Lincolnshire County Council has suggested that a new bypass in Horncastle ‘may provide the answer’ to alleviating traffic delays in the town. The council has said that no further housing can be built in the town unless something is done about traffic in the area. Residents have said that the roads cannot cope with the amount…
Lincolnshire County Council said a bypass in Horncastle may be the answer to alleviating traffic. Photo: Google Street View

Lincolnshire County Council has suggested that a new bypass in Horncastle ‘may provide the answer’ to alleviating traffic delays in the town.

The council has said that no further housing can be built in the town unless something is done about traffic in the area.

Residents have said that the roads cannot cope with the amount of traffic going through the town to the coast, and the council has suggested that a bypass may be the answer in solving this issue.

A highways spokesperson for Lincolnshire County Council said: “The county council is unlikely to support further development in Horncastle, unless there are highways improvements to cope with the additional traffic.

“However, it would be difficult to do anything in the centre of town because of the area’s historic nature.

“If further development is to take place, then a bypass may provide the answer, which would have the additional benefit of alleviating the delays experienced in Horncastle by holiday traffic heading for the coast.

“Typically, a road project of that size would need to be predominantly funded by the government, supported by local contributions.

“Lincolnshire County Council will be working with East Lindsey District Council over the coming months to consider the potential options for Horncastle in relation to the development of their local plan.”

This follows a petition from local businessman Andrew Neal who is appealing for a bypass to be built in Horncastle to stop current three-mile tailbacks through the town.

Andrew told BBC Radio Lincolnshire: “Year-by-year the traffic has increased and recently it has been to the point of bringing the town to a standstill.

“Due to the traffic lights sequence to prioritise east-west traffic, anyone coming from the south from Boston Road can take half an hour to move less than a mile.”