September 9, 2019 2.48 pm This story is over 54 months old

Council leader ‘still wants to retain Toll Bar roundabout’ ahead of plan review

New plans will be published later this year, say councillors
North East Lincolnshire Council leader, Philip Jackson. | Photo: Calvin Robinson

North East Lincolnshire Council leaders said they still want to retain Toll Bar roundabout ahead of additional plans for the junction being revealed later this year.

Philip Jackson, Conservative leader of authority, said the council was working on proposals to address congestion and growth in traffic at Toll Bar.

The plans come as part of a review into the controversial £2.2 million proposals to rip up the roundabout and replace it with traffic lights, which were put on hold by the new administration earlier this year.

Senior councillors expect the plans to come back to the authority’s cabinet in the next three months.

Toll Bar roundabout near Grimsby. Photo: Google Street View

Councillor Jackson said the authority still had “issues to deal with” around the roundabout, including more traffic due to an increase in homes in the region.

He added that a toucan crossing at the junction, which was approved by the council today, will go some way to solving the safety problems.

“What we are looking to do is trying to find a way to retain the roundabout but still dealing with the congestion and growth issues which was the pledge that we made in our manifesto,” he said.

“The toucan crossing is in effect dealing with the pedestrian issues which are long-standing and recognised a good four years ago when the proposals were put forward to remove the roundabout.”

He added that the crossing would not create additional delays at the roundabout.

Toll Bar Campaigners Anne and Peter Herring, Michael O’bee, David Cowell and campaign lead Roger Breed pictured in September 2018. Photo: Daniel Jaines

The plan will see a signalised toucan crossing built at the northern junction of the A16 Louth Road near the junction with Toll Bar.

According to council reports, the area has an annual average daily traffic flow of 23,499 along with 700 children using the junction at school opening and closing times.

The authority is expected to construct the crossing during October half term before looking at long term solutions for traffic in the area.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport at North East Lincolnshire Council. Picture: NELC.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport, said the plan showed that the authority was “committed to safety”.

“We have burned the midnight oil and spent an enormous amount of time to get where we are today,” he said.

“We will continue to listen to people and this shows that we are committed to road safety.”

Controversial plans to rip up the roundabout and replace it with traffic lights remain under review after they were put on hold following the local elections in May.

The proposal proved controversial in the past and attracted petitions of more than 10,000 signatures, with one campaign leading to the project being halted temporarily back in March.

Previous administrations said other options for the roundabout were “not feasible” and pushed ahead with the plan.

Previous Labour leader of the council, Ray Oxby, said the authority took the “most reasonable, practicable” option for the roundabout from the evidence it had.

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