Full update on North Hykeham Relief Road

Karen Cassar, assistant director for highways, said: “We’re still working at full speed towards getting the North Hykeham Relief Road project to the stage where we can finally break ground. In fact, we’re now expecting to make an official start on site this autumn, when archaeological works begin.”

Public inquiry outcome

Karen Cassar said: "We took part in a public inquiry for the project back in July which we believe went well. We’re now just waiting to hear back from the Secretary of State with a decision, which we expect will be made in September.

“In the meantime, the team is finalising the project’s full business case, which we’re planning to submit to the Department for Transport in September, pending sign-off from Executive and approval of the scheme’s legal orders.” 

The full business case is a detailed document that justifies a project or investment by outlining its rationale, benefits, costs, and risks. It is the final step in securing final approval and funding from the Department for Transport. 

Scheme cost

The project, which was previously expected to cost between £180m and £208m is now expected to cost between £203m and £218m. This increase in due to a number of changes to the scope of the project, including:

• Bats – ecologists have identified a rare breed of bat, the barbastelle bat, in the project’s route area. As a result, a fully grassed-over bridge near the South Hykeham section of the relief must be built to cater for the bats’ flight path. In addition, a bat tunnel at Somerton Gate Lane and a number of bat ‘hop-overs’ have been added to the scheme, which will offer space for the bats to cross the relief road unaffected by moving vehicles. Please note that the bats are not roosting in the area and that they only fly over the fields where the relief road will be built currently. 
• Utility diversions – Anglian Water has increased their fee for the diversion of their underground water and drainage infrastructure by £3.5 million. This was unexpected and not in line with other utility providers, so it is currently being challenged. However, for project surety, these additional costs are reflected in the updated cost forecast.
• Dualling the Sleaford Road roundabout section of the LEB – construction of a 90-metre section of dual carriageway just after Sleaford Road roundabout to make it easier for vehicles to merge after the roundabout.
• New design requirements – a number of new requirements have arisen since the last cost forecast, including:
  • An additional acoustic barrier and additional test piles
  • Additional Environment Agency requirements relating to the temporary haul bridge over the River Witham
  • Additional drainage compliance requirements 
  • National Highways requirements relating to the A46 Hykeham Roundabout
  • Increased NIC contributions reflected in the project’s construction costs, along with increased pre-construction costs relating to all of the listed scope changes 

The North Hykeham Relief Road project will form the final section of Lincoln’s ring road, with a new dual carriageway built linking the A46 Pennells Roundabout to the Lincoln Eastern Bypass.

As part of the project, new roundabouts would be built at South Hykeham Road, Brant Road and Grantham Road. A number of bridges would also be constructed, including at Station Road and over the River Witham.

For more information about the project, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/nhrr.