Planned three-week closure of major Melton road sparks anger

The A606 Burton Road, south of Melton, will be closed to traffic between January 8 and 28 to allow contractors, Galliford Try, to carry out essential work on utility services close to what will be roundabout six of the North East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NEMMDR).

County council highways say diversions will be signposted to advise drivers to take alternative routes but Burton and Dalby Parish Council fear these will be ignored and many cars and HGVs will use narrow rural roads and pass through small local villages to save time.

Chairman, Kevin Ingram, said: “The A606 carries around 10,000 vehicles a day and it is the main southern route into Melton Mowbray from the A1.

“Six per cent of those vehicles are HGVs.

"While traffic will be diverted from the main routes to avoid the A606, many will ignore the diversions and along with local traffic they will be forced to find alternative routes along dangerous, narrow country roads and through small villages – Burton Lazars, Little Dalby and Great Dalby, in particular.”

Local councillors are urging County Hall to think again because of the impact the Burton Road closure is likely to have on local communities.

Councillor Robert Child, ward member for Melton Borough Council, said: “There must be another solution.

"The rural roads and villages to the south of Melton Mowbray are totally unsuitable for diverted traffic.

“The roads are narrow, winding, subject to flooding and are not on the highway authority’s gritting schedule.

“The impact will be dreadful – local bus routes and school buses will be also affected.

“The local community have had to put up with roadworks for much of this year already due to Severn Trent and bypass works.”

Planned diversions for traffic travelling from north of the town from the A46 and Nottingham towards Oakham and Stamford to the south will be diverted via the A52 and A1 onto the A606.

And drivers heading north from the south will signposted from the A1 to the A607 toward Melton and to the A52 for Nottingham.

Traffic from Melton can use the diversion route via the A607 to the A1 to head South.

A spokesperson for Leicestershire County Council said: “We’re very aware of concerns raised by the parish council, which we will do our best to address, and we apologise in advance of this essential work relating to utilities.

“In conjunction with our contractors, Galliford Try, we’ll be writing shortly to residents, businesses, and other organisations, including parish councils, with more detail on diversion routes and other information.

“We are constructing a major road scheme which will reduce congestion and unfortunately at times, some disruption on existing roads is unavoidable.

"We do work hard however to minimise disruption on the road network where this occurs.”

The single carriageway NEMMDR, which should be open to traffic towards the end of 2025, will link the A606 Nottingham Road to A606 Burton Road, passing east of the town.

Click HERE to see information on all road closures associated with the NEMMDR project.