Footbridge plan for Toll Bar roundabout not feasible

Council officials have said that plans to keep Toll Bar roundabout and add a footbridge would not be feasible.

The controversial plan to change the junction near Grimsby was halted back in March after North East Lincolnshire councillors passed a petition.

The proposal would see the roundabout on the A16 removed and replaced with traffic lights at a cost of £2.2 million.

But, council bosses have said that the options for an overpass or underpass would not meet the scheme’s “road safety and capacity improvement objectives”.

In a report which will go before the authority’s cabinet, officials said ENGIE, the council’s highway agent, had assessed the options.

These included:

• Construction of a footbridge or underpass on the northern arm of the roundabout with no other improvements to the roundabout (Option 1).
• Upgrading the A16 north and south junction arms to three lane entry alongside construction of a footbridge or underpass on the northern arm (Option 2)
• Significant enlargement of the roundabout and adoption of three lane entry on all junction arms, part-time peak-hour signalisation, construction of footbridge or underpass and part-time, signalised pedestrian crossings on the three remaining junction arms (Option 3)
• A fourth option incorporating all of the improvements proposed in Option 3 but with full time signalisation of the roundabout and pedestrian crossings. (Option 4).

But the council said the proposals would not meet the authority’s timeframe and budget for the scheme.

Toll Bar Campaigners Anne and Peter Herring, Michael O’bee, David Cowell and Roger Breed. Photo: Daniel Jaines

The report said: “None of the additional footbridge/underpass options considered can meet all of the road safety and capacity improvement objectives for the scheme and be delivered within the available timeframe and budget.

“This report recommends that cabinet endorses the decisions of February 2017 and January 2018 to implement a signalised crossroads junction at Toll Bar.”

Officers have recommended that the original plans go ahead and a decision will be made by senior councillors on the cabinet on October 29.

Philip Jackson, leader of the NEL Conservatives

It comes as campaigners against the plan said it would cause “chaos” and have submitted an 8,000 signature petition against the scheme.

Meanwhile, Councillor Philip Jackson, leader of the opposition on the council, said he would not support the plans.

“I think it is the wrong decision,” he said.

“We will not be supporting the proposed recommendation and will support residents who are opposed to it.”

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