Work on bypass 'could start in February'

The bypass will link the A46 Pennells Roundabout to the Lincoln Eastern Bypass

The final section of Lincoln's ring road is a step closer after the government approved the legal orders needed to begin construction, Lincolnshire County Council has said.

A new dual-carriageway, the North Hykeham relief road, is expected to link the A46 Pennells roundabout to the Lincoln eastern bypass.

The council said the Department for Transport had approved the orders required to secure the land for the road and it was now waiting for a final business case to be approved for £110m of government funding.

Sam Edwards, head of highways and infrastructure, said it was a "fantastic step" and meant work on the bypass might start at the end of February or beginning of March, if all went to plan.

The road is likely to take three years to complete.

"There's a lot of variables, as you can imagine, on a scheme of the scale and nature [of the bypass]," Edwards said. "There's two winter seasons to work through, which has its own challenges."

Councillor Michael Cheyne, executive member for highways at the council, said: "Now that we've been given the all clear by government to move forward, the next step is to officially appoint a contractor."

The matter is set to be discussed at a meeting of the Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee in December, before being voted on by the council's executive in early January.

A public inquiry into the proposed purchase of land for the road was held in July.

During the same month, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed the scheme would be one of 50 around the country to receive funding.

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