February 19, 2023 7.00 am This story is over 16 months old

Grantham one-way system on hold until bypass completed

One-way system will have to wait another year
Parts of Grantham High Street would have become one-way under the plans. | Google Street View

A bid to encourage active travel and cycling in Grantham will not return until after the town’s bypass is completed — because it “wasn’t universally popular” with residents.

The Grantham Active Travel Scheme included outline proposals to make Grantham High Street a one-way street, allowing buses and cycles to travel southbound but not other traffic.

However, a consultation of 2,750 residents, businesses and organisations found only 48% in favour of the scheme and 44% against, so earlier this year Lincolnshire County Council decided to put the scheme on the back burner.

During a meeting on Friday, Councillor Mark Whittington asked the authority if a future or revised scheme would be coming forward.

Executive portfolio holder for highways Councillor Richard Davies said it was “fair to say it wasn’t universally popular”.

“I don’t think we have enough support to push forward with it at the moment,” he said.

However, he added: “The Grantham bypass is moving ahead, it’s going to be opening in the next year or so at the very latest, hopefully.

“It makes sense to put things on hold until we’ve moved the A52 out of Grantham, because the town centre will feel very different without that road going through the middle.”

He said that “absolutely” cycling and walking were “key” to the future of the town.

“One of the barriers to walking into a market town is those road barriers in the middle, which make it quite difficult to go that final third of the way into the town centre.”

MyLocal Lincolnshire is the new home of The Lincolnite. Download the app now