BOSTON & DISTRICT BYPASS PRESSURE GROUP

Historically Boston has suffered from increasing traffic congestion due to the convergence of four major roads onto one Bridge over the river Witham.

In early 1991 a full traffic survey was carried out and a Bypass for Boston was included in the 1992 Local Transport plan. If the need was recognised then, 15 years ago, how great must the need be now! It is also true that over the past 30 to 40 years a Bypass for Boston has been promised by successive administrations only to be dropped inexplicably.

In the late nineties plans for a Bypass were dropped and suddenly the Southern Economic Corridor appeared on the horizon.

This scheme was variously sold to the public as a traffic relief project, then latterly as an economic regeneration scheme, presumably to attract EE grants. Unfortunately this scheme was neither.

The County claimed that this was not a road development, but part of a regeneration project particularly aimed at and in our view benefiting only, the Dock and 2 other businesses situated close by, which in total employ approx. 800 people.

We feel the economic arguments used to support this project have been greatly over stated.

The owners of the Docks have described the knock on effect that traffic congestion in the town is causing their business. We sincerely are concerned about this but must point out that they are exactly the same effects that are being felt by many other businesses in and outside this town.

When you consider that 20% of all food consumed in this country is either grown or processed in Lincolnshire you can imagine the financial impact that the delays are having upon those businesses, most of which do not use the docks.

We know through anecdotal evidence and our own experience that local peoples shopping habits have changed as a result of the traffic problems in the town. People living to the North of the town are now choosing to shop in Skegness or Newark whilst those in the South prefer to travel to Spalding rather than face the delays in Boston.

This evidence is supported by local retail figures which show a significant drop in trade which is reflected in an increase in our neighbouring towns.

Unfortunately these journey changes will not be identified in transport surveys presently being undertaken.

Meanwhile failure to address the major problem of Boston’s roads and infrastructure is having a devastating impact on the majority of local businesses and the economic prosperity of the surrounding East coast Towns.

We would like to take issue with those who say that Boston’s Traffic problems are not unique. We believe this demonstrates a poor lack of local knowledge and understanding of the issues. The resulting traffic chaos is indeed not unique but its causes and solutions are.

We know of no other town which has it’s back to the sea, a river and various dykes bisecting and crossing it, with only one major bridge onto which 4 major roads converge to carry traffic across the river.

We believe this is very unique.

The traffic problems have been exacerbated in recent years due to significant demographic changes in the area, the affects of which have not been met due to the long standing failure of our Councils to address the problems associated with the lack of road infra structure.

We would argue that a major imaginative road scheme solution is what is required for the economic viability and success of our town and its surrounding area. You cannot separate the consequences of one from the other.

Given that the same if not greater economic arguments apply to the case for a Bypass as opposed to the Southern Economic Corridor, surely it would not take a great deal of imagination to put forward a strong economic case for a major road scheme.
As previously stated the building of the SLC roads will not resolve any of the traffic issues currently affecting our town, it will only transfer the congestion from Haven Bridge and Liquorpond Street roundabout onto the minor roads of Fishtoft and Skirbeck. These are residential roads quite unsuited to heavy goods vehicles and the associated pollution.

• Traffic travelling North to South and visa versa will use these minor roads in an attempt to avoid that congestion.
   
• The lives of thousands of residents in this area will be disrupted and qualatively diminished, whilst the safety of students to and from Boston College will be compromised.
   
• Tailbacks/congestion on the A16 will most likely increase.
   
• The need for a Boston Bypass has always been rejected on the grounds of cost, because of the requirement to bridge the river.
   
• Why then is it acceptable to spend £9,800,000 to build a bridge and create a road which is less than 1 mile long and benefits so few?Surely this is a waste of public money.
   
• If this money was invested in a major road scheme which enabled the town to be bypassed, every ones aspirations would be met and the economic future for Boston and the surrounding area assured.

We believe that a huge opportunity is being missed here, for if the Southern Link road was built 1 mile to the south of its proposed site it could form the first part of the Bypass, which when extended and completed would negate the need for the Dock Link Road. Surely this makes more economic sense and would satisfy the aspirations of everyone. Going ahead with the building of the DLR before the present ongoing transportation study is complete and the comparative economic benefits analysed, is in our view “putting the cart before the horse”.

Boston needs a major road scheme which will meet the needs of all in our community and not piece meal solutions which have so far been on offer.Not solutions which only satisfy and benefit the few at the expense of the majority.

Unless the road infrastructure of Boston is modernised in an imaginative and sustainable way, no amount of investment and economical development can succeed.

The economic prosperity and future for Boston and South East Lincolnshire is dependent upon it.

BBPG



Note ; The Southern Economic Corridor comprises of two roads:
The Dock Link Road ( DLR )
The Southern Link Road. (SLR )

Since writing this, the Southern Link road has been dropped and we are awaiting the outcome of the Dock Link Road enquiry.