'We had to move a river to build new £134m bypass'

Highways officials in Leicestershire have expressed excitement as they near the completion of the new £134 million Melton Mowbray bypass.

The 4.4-mile (7.1km) route, which circles the north and east of the town, is expected to open to traffic in approximately three months after three years of construction.

The project has involved significant engineering work, including six new roundabouts, four bridges, and the diversion of the River Eye by about 100 metres (328ft).

“Moving the river might seem surprising, but it was the most practical solution,” explained Janna Walker, Leicestershire County Council’s assistant director of highways and transport. “We needed to build a bridge over the river near high-voltage cables. Raising the bridge structure there would have meant moving the cables, which would have been extremely costly and disruptive for residents. Diverting the river avoided those issues.”

Among the most complex elements of the scheme was the construction of a 50-metre bridge over a passenger and freight railway line. Officials also noted that adverse weather had been a significant challenge, slowing progress over the past year. “We are close to completion, but ongoing rain has caused delays,” Walker said. “We have about 12 weeks of work remaining, and we need dry conditions to finish.”

The bypass, which is expected to cost nearly twice the original £63.5 million budget, has been jointly funded by the council, the government, and local developers planning 4,500 new homes. Walker said the budget increase reflects rising construction costs, including steel, materials, and weather-related delays.

Once complete, the road is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in Melton Mowbray town centre by rerouting vehicles onto the bypass. “In the short term, people will notice much less congestion in the centre,” Walker added.

Longer-term plans include a southern extension of the road, which will be delivered alongside new housing developments, though no definitive timescale has been set for that phase.

The new route is officially called the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (MMDR). The council plans to hold a public vote in February to decide its permanent name.