A formal application has been made for a link road at Barton upon Humber
It's hoped it will reduce congestion in the town
Last updated 8th Jan 2024
A formal planning application has been made for the much-anticipated Barton-upon-Humber link road, on which hopes of solving the town’s traffic congestion are based.
Filed just before Christmas, the application has been publicly viewable since January 2. The link road will be a mile long and connect the A1077 and Caistor Road, and so enable vehicles to get to the A15 without travelling right through Barton town centre.
It will include a cycle carriageway, footways and landscaping. The link road is part of several Barton transport transformations funded by £19.7m government Levelling Up Fund (LUF) cash, awarded last January. It aims to “vastly improve” HGV traffic levels through the town centre.
The mile-long road will be 7.3m wide and have a 3m wide cycle route west of the carriageway, with 2m footways either side too. Under the council’s Local Plan, a link road is needed to enable future growth, “reduce existing traffic congestion issues within the town, to support the growth of the manufacturing sector in Barton and to unlock additional housing land”.
A linked planning application for more than 170 homes by Strata has already been made. It would be located south of the A1077 / Barrow Road, near a new four-way roundabout with Falkland Way, the link road and the A1077.
Planning documents say the link road outweighs any harm it may bring, with its impact in reducing HGV movements through the middle of Barton highlighted. Excluding buses, there are 26 regular two-way heavy vehicle movements through the town at peak morning rush hour – 7.45am to 8.45am – alone, according to the application’s transport assessment.
Six existing homes a noise assessment has found will be “subject to likely significant adverse effects”. These are located at the northern end of the scheme in Falkland Way, Glebe Way and Barrow Road. A roadside barrier to reduce the noise was considered, but “found not to be a sustainable solution”. It is suggested in the planning statement that the proposed new housing and possible linked mitigation measures may reduce the effect on these homes’ southern facades.
There will be landscaping associated with the project too. A green corridor is proposed along the road and action at northern end new roundabout would include a native mixed hedgerow and three Silver Birch trees to help screen it.
The application process is expected to take three months. If approved, construction will start this year. September has been previously earmarked. Spring 2025 would be the aimed completion date.