Skegness Roman Bank works move onto final stage as new drainage system is complete

Improvements to one of the busiest roads in Skegness are at long last reaching the closing stages, as Lincolnshire County Council confirms Roman Bank now has a brand new drainage system in use.

The Roman Bank improvement works have been a mammoth effort filled with delays and headaches for the council, first closing in August 2020 for an originally planned eight months to replace the worn out carriageway and footpaths, as well as improving drainage.

The work has been carried out between the junction with Burgh Road/Castleton Boulevard and just past the junction with Elmhirst Avenue, and a 24/7 road closure has been in place on the 550m stretch of road.

Roman Bank in Skegness. | Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

Progress has been halted on numerous occasions during the scheme, with work pausing for Christmas in 2020, as well as being stopped for four months in May 2021 to allow for free movement of locals during the summer season.

As well as this, the finish date was pushed back in March last year after an unexpected gas pipe diversion.

The construction teams have been hard at work installing a new drainage system under the road. | Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

However, with a fully functioning drainage system now operational on the road, attention turns to the final stage of the scheme, replacing the worn out carriageway on Roman Bank with more than 500 tonnes of new tarmac.

Almost all works between Muirfield Drive and Brancaster Drive are now complete, meaning the team have moved up to the final area of Roman Bank that requires improvement.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways, expects the project to be finished this spring and says work is now progressing well on site.

The project is nearing its conclusion, after numerous headaches. | Photo: Lincolnshire County Council

Councillor Davies said: “Completing construction of the new underground drainage system along Roman Bank is a significant milestone for this important scheme.

“Not only did installing the system mean laying over half a mile of new drainage pipes up to 4.5m deep under the newly-rebuilt carriageway, but it also meant installing two new manhole chambers, 19 surface water catchpits and 85 drainage gullies.

“This new system will play a key role taking surface water from the road and moving it to a nearby water course, helping to prevent flooding on the carriageway and nearby properties.”

The scheme was made possible thanks to a £3.6 million funding boost from the Department of Transport in 2020, though it has taken almost a whole year longer than initially anticipated.