Funding Efforts Underway to Complete Spalding’s Western Relief Road

Lincolnshire County Council has confirmed plans to complete the remaining sections of Spalding’s £50 million Western Relief Road, which has been partially open since October 2024.

The first section, including a bridge over a railway line, currently ends in a field, prompting some local residents to label it a “road to nowhere.”

The bypass, first proposed in 2011, is divided into five sections. Section 5 has been built, while Section 1 is expected to begin construction this year. Sections 2, 3, and 4 remain unfunded, with completion dependent on contributions from housing developers and central government.

Deputy Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Rob Gibson, said: “We’re pushing on with this road to nowhere, and want it to become a road to somewhere. The original completion date of 2040 is far too long—we need to get on with it.” He added that the project’s timescale remains uncertain, pending funding availability.

Local residents have expressed skepticism about the road’s future. Paul Simpson, 44, described the current section as “no use,” while Christine Simpson, 69, said she doubted the council would ever complete the project. John Bowland, 44, called the bridge a “monument to incompetence,” noting the incongruity of a finished road that carries no traffic.

Despite local concerns, council officials remain confident that funding solutions are forthcoming. Paul Jackson, South Holland District Council’s portfolio holder for housing and infrastructure, said applications from developers to support the remaining sections of the road are expected soon. “If we put a load of houses in with no infrastructure, there’d have been criticism,” he said. “This approach delivers housing while ultimately providing a relief road for the whole town, which benefits everybody.”

The council emphasised that completing the Western Relief Road will improve traffic flow through Spalding and support new housing developments, balancing long-term infrastructure needs with the town’s growth ambitions.