A major county council road scheme in Leicestershire has this week reached another milestone, with two new roundabouts opening a day ahead of schedule.
These two roundabouts are located on the A606, with one near Burton Lazars and the other at Scalford Road. They are two of six which will eventually connect and form the North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NEMMDR), a new route designed to alleviate traffic build-up through Melton town centre, support new housing developments and boost local centres of employment.
During scheduled road closures throughout July and August, contractors Galliford Try have been working with the county council to complete these roundabouts in time for the busy back-to-school season.
From major ground stabilisation and large-scale beam lifting for Scalford Brook’s new road bridge to paving and drainage at the new roundabouts, the scheme is now visibly taking shape.
Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, county council cabinet member for highways, said: “I’ve recently visited the site and it was a privilege to see just how much work has now been done. It’s hugely exciting to see part of it open to the public.
“Melton Mowbray is set to benefit from our major investment in the scheme. It will move HGVs away from the town centre, improve air quality and support the growing town’s population and economy.
“We kept disruption to a minimum by scheduling works during the summer break, as some road closures were necessary for moving forward a project of this size. I would like to thank local residents for their patience.”
The NEMMDR is a multi-million pound project and the longest new route ever undertaken by the county council, at 7.1km in total and set for completion in late 2025.