New £134m bypass set for Easter opening

Melton Mowbray's new £134m bypass is set to open to traffic at Easter, highways bosses have said.

Leicestershire County Council said the new 4.4 mile (7.1km) route, around the north and east of the town, is largely complete with "finishing touches" including road surfacing and landscaping now being carried out.

Officials said the route would ease traffic congestion and pollution in the centre of Melton and unlock land for some 4,500 homes and new businesses to be built.

The council said the road was the largest highways project it had ever undertaken.

The scheme was originally budgeted at £37.5m but inflation led costs to spiral over the years, the council said.

The project has been funded by the council, as well as £49.4m from the government and £14m from developers.

The route includes six new roundabouts which are already open to traffic and connected to the nearby road network.

Four new bridges have also been completed.

Adam Tilbury, the council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Despite complex ground conditions, significant archaeological finds and weather events such as Storm Babet and Storm Henk, the team kept the project moving forward and it remains on schedule for completion.

"This new road is a major investment in Melton's future. It will cut congestion, make journeys more reliable and help the town grow."

The route is currently known as the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road but the council plans to hold a public vote on the road's official name in February.

Residents will be able to choose from a shortlist of options.

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