CAMPAIGN: Haulage industry joins campaign to drive £100 million bid for road funding forward!

Following the launch of the Transport for Boston campaign last week, The Standard had been in touch with the Road Haulage Association, the Freight Transport Association and their members to gather their support for the new distributor road.
Haulage vehicles on John Adams Way. EMN-180904-093508001Haulage vehicles on John Adams Way. EMN-180904-093508001
Haulage vehicles on John Adams Way. EMN-180904-093508001

The haulage industry has backed The Standard’s campaign calling on the Government to send a share of a £100 billion Government fund Boston’s way to pay for the new distributor road.

Philip Scotney Area Manager for the Road Haulage Association (RHA) with Lincolnshire confirmed the association would fully support the campaign to improve access to and through the town.

He said: “Boston’s most important industries include food production, vegetables, potatoes, together with road haulage and logistics, and the port and light industry.

A map of where the Boston Distributor Road could go.A map of where the Boston Distributor Road could go.
A map of where the Boston Distributor Road could go.

“The road network is where the haulage industry works, poor infrastructure, congestion, repairs, delays, and potholes, frustrate the ability to do the job well.

“Congestion nationally, is thought to cost the economy some £9bn every year; anyone trying to reach or pass through Boston, through the limited roads, will understand the frustration from the congestion and delays.”

The campaign has also been backed by the Freight Transport Association.

A spokesman for one local company, which did not wish to be identified, told the Standard their business sends 30-40 vehicles out a day to make deliveries.

Haulage vehicles on the main road through Langrick. EMN-180904-093602001Haulage vehicles on the main road through Langrick. EMN-180904-093602001
Haulage vehicles on the main road through Langrick. EMN-180904-093602001

“It [the current roadnetwork and traffic] adds a lot of hours to the driving time of our employees and that’s governed by driving time laws.

“In order to get to any of the main trunk roads from the local situation takes a long time, and on top of that there’s congestion in Boston which puts an extra hour onto it, so there’s not a lot of time to do deliveries.

“We can get penalised by customers financially if we deliver late.”

He confirmed also that late deliveries can lead to producers receiving lower grades for the quality of their foods.

John Adams' Way/South End junction, Boston. ENGEMN00120121022160819John Adams' Way/South End junction, Boston. ENGEMN00120121022160819
John Adams' Way/South End junction, Boston. ENGEMN00120121022160819

There’s environmental issues as well on John Adams Way. Although most trucks are graded Euro 6 for emissions being stuck for a long time in one area can cause air pollution.

The spokesman said a number of lorries have begun travelling through Langrick, Frithville and Sibsey. However, he acknowledged the roads were not designed for larger vehicles.

He said he thought all the haulage people to the north of the town would use the distributor road.

This would lessen pressure on the town centre roads, as well as the rat runs drivers have been using to avoid the gridlock issues.

Traffic in Boston. Sleaford Road.Traffic in Boston. Sleaford Road.
Traffic in Boston. Sleaford Road.

Langriville Parish Council chairman and East Lindsey District Councillor Neil Jones confirmed that lorry drivers were using the road as a ‘rat run’.

He said: “We have a number of residents and councillors who comment on the issue and we have noticed an increase in the traffic - particularly while parts of the A17 were closed recently.

He said many elderly residents were uncomfortable walking along the footpath at the side of the road because of the traffic that was going down there.

Langrick Bridge was recently upgraded, he said, but if traffic continued as-is it would have to be looked at again, he was certain.

He said a new link road, such as the distributor road, would take a lot of the pressure off.

The Standard launched its campaign to get residents to become a driving force in getting a share of the funding to ‘improve productivity and connectivity of towns, tackle bottlenecks and traffic jams and through traffic’ last week.

Boston Quadrant off A16.Boston Quadrant off A16.
Boston Quadrant off A16.

We’re calling on the Government to send some of the recently announced extra money from the National Roads Fund to help pay for, and speed up the building of, the new £100m Boston Distributor Road in a bid to help ease traffic flow around the town.

In an ideal world, a fully-funded new bypass would be the perfect solution for the town’s residents.

However, official data continues to show that the majority of traffic is heading into the town, but not coming out the other side.

Officials believe the new road, which has started in the Quadrant and will eventually link the A16 north and south will reduce the impact of traffic dramatically.

The road, which will include two new bridges, is set out in the Boston Transport Strategy, but at the moment could take more than 20-plus years to complete (the strategy only covers up to 2036).

It would be hugely reliant on contributions from housing developers and funding out of already tight budgets.

However, authorities can bid for between £20-50 million and in exceptionally strong cases £100 million – which would cover the majority of costs involved.

The Government has already listed some main roads it thinks could be considered, and Lincolnshire County Council has also moved to put some extras in its bid.

Announcements about selected projects will be made in the summer.

The Standard’s campaign, which would aim to deliver the petition to the Transport Minister before the summer announcements, is already backed by Boston Borough Council, which says speeding up the plans for the road would reduce town centre congestion, boost economic development, open up land for housing and reduce Haven Bridge area air quality issues.

To get involved fill in the coupon opposite, or sign the petitions which will be available at Municipal Buildings, Geoff Moulder Leisure Complex and the Guildhall.

To collect your own form email [email protected] or [email protected] or print one off at www.boston.gov.uk/transportforboston

Return all completed petition forms to Municipal Buildings by Monday, April 30.

FACTFILE: Boston Distributor Road
Boston Distributor Road would provide a new route around the west side of the town, linking the A16 to the north, the A1121 Boardsides and A52 to the west, and the A16 to the south.

A safeguarded corridor for the route has been identified in the draft South East Lincolnshire Local Plan.

The road has been started as part of The Quadrant development by Chestnut Homes.

The scheme provides the initial section of the distributor road by linking the A16 with the adjacent London Road.

The plan at the moment will then be to head south along London Road a short way before another new road is begun, which will run to the A52 Grantham Road before crossing the New Hammond back behind Tesco/Aldi - thereby avoiding traffic along Wyberton West Road.

As part of the proposed route, there are sections which would require major structures including road, river and rail bridges over the New Hammond Back, and a similarly larger bridge over the Maud Foster drain.

It is estimated that the entire distributor road would cost in the region of £100m.

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