A proposal for a large bypass in the vicinity of Lutterworth appears to have been ruled out, there are several reasons why extra investment in local transport solutions is likely to be forthcoming. Graphic design is useful when planning transport arrangements, particularly when a debate involves a variety of stakeholders.
The bypass idea would have involved the construction of an expressway, coming in at over £1bn. The issue of affordability appears to have influenced the withdrawal from the initial vision, but the Strategic Growth Plan indicates that action is still necessary. Trevor Pendleton, a councillor, told the Leicester Mercury:
“We have something like 140,000 homes required and we are working on solutions to that. The A46 expressway was only one option.”
Pendleton did not provide further comment on the expressway, but says housing targets are unlikely to be hit if investment in the local infrastructure is not increased. At the moment, the city region is adversely affected by congestion.
Advocates of the expressway initiative had suggested that their plan would have enabled the building of 40,000 homes in a corridor south of Leicester. It was envisaged that the local economy should have grown substantially as a result. New strategies might have to be especially ambitious if they are going to have the desired impact.