Ambitious, multi-million pound vision to 'Get Boston Moving' unveiled by MP Richard Tice, including bypass and dualling of A16

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, outlined the ‘opportunities’ at a press conference today (Tuesday, June 17), held at Boston Rugby Club and titled ‘Get Boston Moving’.

South Lincolnshire, he argued, has ‘missed out’ on investment in transport infrastructure, affecting its ability to flourish economically.

“We want more growth, more jobs, more investment in Boston and the surrounding area, but to do that we have got to have good infrastructure,” he said.

“It’s our turn,” he said, of his hopes to unlock capital for his vision.

The vision has been developed in partnership with Executive Consultancy Services Ltd, of Peterborough, and was described at times by Mr Tice as ‘bullish’.

“It you don’t try, if you don’t look, if you don’t think, if you don’t have a vision, then you have no chance at all and that’s what this is all about,” he said. “You have got to think big,” he said.

The projects (and their total estimated costs) are:

• A bypass, connecting the A16 on either side of the town (£156m)
• Converting the A16 to dual carriageway from Boston to Peterborough (£273m)
• A rail bypass, featuring new stations and park and ride and bus shuttle services; plus, improvements to the port link to make switching freight trains easier and quicker (£42.25m)
• Creating a rail connection between Boston and Spalding at Bicker/Little Hale Fen (£23.4m)

However, the first step would be to secure the funds to develop a strategic outline business case, and this part of the project comes at a much lower cost.

To help fund this, savings in Local Government could be made, he said.

Pitches would follow to Lincolnshire County Council and the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, he said.

The idea of a bypass for Boston dates back many, many decades.

At one point, it was the preferred option for ending the town’s traffic woes; however, in the 1950s the concept of an inner relief road became the focus. This led to the opening of John Adams Way in 1978.

In 2007, enduring hope of a bypass for the town led to a political party dubbed the Boston Bypass Independents enjoying a landslide victory in the local elections, taking 25 of Boston Borough Council’s 32 seats. While some road improvements followed, a bypass was not one of them.

Asked what he would say to people feeling sceptical about the vision, he said he brought ‘fresh energy’ to the fight and pointed to the success Reform UK has had locally and nationally in confounding expectations.

He said: “I think we have got a track record of surprising people.”

“Don’t underestimate us,” he said. “You underestimate us at your peril.”

Among those to attend the press conference was Coun Anne Dorrian, the independent leader of Boston Borough Council (and, as it would happen, a former Boston Bypass Independents member).

She said: “I love his ambition. I will put aside all political differences to fully support his aim of achieving a bypass for Boston.”

“I love the fire in his belly,” she added. “I love the fact he has taken the bull by the horns.”