Whaplode bypass dream one step closer to reality with £30k feasibility study

A fresh bid has been launched to get Whaplode a bypass with council bosses agreeing to undertake a £30,000 feasibility study into the programme – but calls have been made to residents to lobby MP Sir John Hayes.

People living in Whaplode have been fighting for many years to have a new road to divert the thousands of lorries and cars from rumbling past their homes on the A151 every day.

Their hopes for a bypass may have moved a step forward now that Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to undertake a feasibility study to look at the possibility of creating a three mile road to link the A17 outside Holbeach with the ‘Lingarden’ corner at Stonegate in Weston.

This study will be looking at the traffic data, indicative costs along with any constraints such as land purchase – and it is due to report at the end of this year.

Holbeach rural county councillor Peter Coupland has been working with neighbouring colleague Rob Gibson on the plans to create a bypass for Whaplode and tricky Fold Lane junction leading to Moulton Seas End from the A151.

Coun Coupland has estimated that the cost of the scheme would be £40 million and has been working on getting a feasibility study undertaken for the last 19 months.

Speaking at a press launch on Friday, Coun Coupland said: “We have managed to get Whaplode in the sights of Lincolnshire County Council and that there is an issue with traffic.

“The residents need to lobby their MP. We have got to have Government money if this is going to come forward.

“I shall work my damnest to push as far as I can do but it will help if residents lobbied their MP.”

People living in Whaplode have been calling for a bypass for the village since the early 2000s and the speed limit was reduced from 40mph to 30mph.

A traffic study conducted by volunteers in autumn 2021 recorded 15,000 traffic movements in a 12 hour period - over 1,000 were lorries.

Coun Coupland has suggested that the potential bypass would need three roundabouts on the A17, between Saracen’s Head and Peppermint junction, with another on Loosegate near Moulton Seas End and the final one on the outskirts of Weston.

He says he has spoken to 50% of the land owners along the potential route and would also like to see some agricultural commercial use along the route.

District councillor Allan Beal said: “The road has an impact on the people who live in the village. Not just the fumes but also the mud which has an impact on the drainage system.”

MP Sir John said: “We will have to wait and see what that feasibility study produces. There is a good argument for relieving the pressure and all the consequential problems that brings people living on both sides of the road.

“The feasibility study will set out if this can be done and that is for the county council to bring forward.”

Another person who is waiting for the results of the feasibility study is county councillor Rob Gibson, whose ward includes Weston and Moulton.

He said: “Whaplode needs somethings as a lot of traffic goes through there and it is the centre of the village but it could be at the detriment to some of my residents’ properties.

“I am waiting to see what the impact of the feasibility study is and I’d like to know the impact on my residents.”

The study – which is being funded by a project looking at the future highways budget – will be looking at a range of potential factors including a cost to benefit analysis.

Traffic data, the possible alignment along with any constraints such as land purchase, the environment and impact on people’s property.

Coun Richard Davies said: “The feasibility report will provide a thorough analysis of whether a Whaplode Bypass can be justified and if it might attract external funding to build.

“We rely on external funding, primarily from national government, to make highways improvements a reality.

“Unfortunately, if they won’t back a scheme, it likely won’t happen.”