Work starts on Lincoln by-pass link

Work has officially begun on the long-awaited North Hykeham Relief Road.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday to mark the start of the project attended by Lincoln MP Hamish Falconer, local councillors and representatives from the companies delivering the project.

The new road will link the A46 at the Pennells roundabout to the A15 Eastern by-pass – it was first proposed in the mid-2000s and has gone through various planning stages, but the £110m funding was confirmed in February. It is expected to open in the summer of 2029.

“I am so pleased that after 20 years of waiting, this Labour Government has finally delivered the funding for the North Hykeham Relief Road,” said the MP (pictured below).

“It’s a major step forward to ease congestion, improve road safety and unlock thousands of new homes and jobs for our city.”

The project is being delivered by Lincolnshire County Council and leader Cllr Sean Matthews said: “Breaking ground on the North Hykeham Relief Road is a huge milestone and something the council has been working towards for many years. Delivering this final piece of Lincoln’s ring road will make it much easier for people to get around the area and will play a vital role in supporting Lincolnshire’s future growth.

“This road will offer huge economic benefits when it’s finished, including opening up land for 4,500 homes and seven hectares of employment space. It will also contribute £800 million in economic benefits for the county over the next 60 years, which is a massive amount.”

The North Hykeham Relief Road is expected to bring a wide range of benefits once complete, including easing congestion in and around North Hykeham and Lincoln, improving journey reliability, and helping support new housing and employment opportunities.

Councillor David East said: “While it’s fantastic to see spades in the ground and mark the official start of the project, the next few weeks will be about getting everything ready so we can really hit the ground running from early May.

“Between now and then, we’ll be carrying out vegetation clearance, installing fencing and signs, and setting up site compounds. Once those preparations are complete, we’ll be ready for a full programme of construction activity to get underway.

“Once the new road linking the A46 Pennells Roundabout to the Lincoln Eastern Bypass is complete, the new dual carriageway will improve connectivity, reduce congestion around Lincoln and the surrounding villages, and support long-term growth across Lincolnshire.”

For more information about this and other major highways projects, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/nhrr.