COLUMN - The boffins that help make the most of roads funding
Coun Leader looks at the science behind the county’s infrastructure projects
Column by Coun Sean Matthews - Leader of Lincolnshire County Council
In a big, rural county such as ours, our roads are vital for businesses and residents to stay connected and make progress.
We are always striving towards safer, smoother journeys and better value for taxpayers, and it’s important to me that you know about the work that goes on. And this can be weeks before you see any sign of trucks and workers on your local roads!
In Lincolnshire, we are one of just 10 authorities in England to operate our own laboratory to provide specialist testing, engineering and survey services. The Lincolnshire Lab is a fantastic facility which supports the design, construction and maintenance of roads and pathways in the county.
The lab is staffed by 37 permanent staff and a pool of relief surveyors who work both on-site and in the lab to test materials, assess road conditions and gather vital data used to inform future highways decisions.
The laboratory helps our teams at the council take a proactive approach to managing our 5,500-mile road network. Their specialist testing, inspections and surveys help us make smarter, evidence-based decisions about where investment is needed most – and more importantly, to ensure that we get maximum benefit from every pound we spend on our highways network.
I’m incredibly proud that Lincolnshire has this expertise in-house. Having our own laboratory gives us direct oversight of performance across our highways programme and means we all get better long-term value for money and a road network fit for the future.
The technicians and engineers at Lincs Lab have been heavily involved in planning and design of the North Hykeham Relief Road.
When complete, the route will provide a better way to travel between the A46 and the A15 - connecting the ‘Pennells’ roundabout with the Sleaford Road roundabout, completing the ring road around the city.
The new five-mile relief road aims to open by late 2028 and I know it’s easy to think that this project will only affect people living near Lincoln. But in reality, the benefits are far-reaching.
The road will mean shorter travel times between different parts of the county, meaning residents can access jobs further afield, reduce transport times for businesses and give our visitors better access to our county’s tourist hotspots.
It also unlocks land for housing and business growth and in fact, is forecast to contribute £350 million to the county economy over the decades to come.