Leicester Forest East Residents Action Group
Lubbesthorpe New Town
LFE RAG LUBBESTHORPE LFE RESIDENTS ACTION GROUP LFE RAG
Traffic Congestion
The Developers of the proposed New Town at Lubbesthorpe have presented a very smooth consultation leaflet which the Leicester Forest East Residents Action Group, believe may be fundamentally flawed, for the following reasons.
The site at Lubbesthorpe is land-locked on two sides by the M69 and M1. Further, the site also shelters the medieval village of Lubbesthorpe which, because of its protected status, also limits any flow of traffic into and out of the southern end of the site.
The initial development of the site is expected to be around 1000 homes by 2018 and the ingress and egress from the development, in this period, is to be from two junctions onto Beggars Lane. As such, the traffic emanating to and from the site has to be from Beggars Lane to the A47, Hinckley Road, LFE or via the B582, Desford Lane, Enderby.
Notwithstanding, that the Developers plan to improve junctions at Beggars Lane and other junctions and undertake realignment of the lane itself, these alterations are, in themselves, likely to seriously disrupt traffic flow, in LFE, Kirby Muxloe and Enderby, while being undertaken. With already congested routes at morning and evening peak times, add to this, up to 1200 extra cars and buses entering and leaving the development site, together with the extra traffic emanating from the Earl Shilton development, commuting is likely to be at a standstill.
Much has been made of the new bus route from the site for Lubbesthorpe residents. This will enter and leave the site via the Baines Lane/ Hinckley Road junction. A dedicated bus lane will be constructed on the Hinckley Rd to join up with the bus lane leaving the Park and Ride at Meynells Gorse. The Hinckley Road will need to be widened to accommodate this bus lane and it is expected that loss of the grass verges will result.
It is anticipated, that at the second phase of the development in 2018 a new bridge will cross the M1 onto Meridian Way, Thorpe Astley. LFE RAG understands that the Developers expect 47% of the development traffic to eventually use this route to ingress/egress Lubbesthorpe Town. The traffic will flow onto Lubbesthorpe Way and add to the already serious congestion on the A563 ring road.
At a time, not yet decided, but possibly around 2022, a new bridge and road will be added over the M69 onto Leicester Lane, Enderby to dissipate the traffic from the southern end of the development, by which time, if this development succeeds, the New Town will be the size of Market Harborough!
The Developer’s presentation makes much of the extra open space and parklands that it intends to create. We have these already at Lubbesthorpe, with well farmed and arable land, woods, footpaths and wildlife habitats.
Both LFE and Braunstone Town are in Air Quality Management Areas which are already subject to pollution in excess of UK and EU limits. The new development can only add to these excesses with a likely traffic movement of 10,000 vehicles per day.
During the initial phase of this development, the existing amenities of LFE, Enderby, Kirby Muxloe and Braunstone Town, are likely to be stretched beyond capacity. The benefit to these Parishes is perceived as nil; in fact of significant negative value. The LFE RAG will continue to object to this development and when the draft Core Strategy was presented in August 2009 by Blaby District Council, 600 plus objections ensued. We hope that significantly more objections will be forth-coming on this occasion, when the Developers planning application is presented in early March 2011
The site at Lubbesthorpe is land-locked on two sides by the M69 and M1. Further, the site also shelters the medieval village of Lubbesthorpe which, because of its protected status, also limits any flow of traffic into and out of the southern end of the site.
The initial development of the site is expected to be around 1000 homes by 2018 and the ingress and egress from the development, in this period, is to be from two junctions onto Beggars Lane. As such, the traffic emanating to and from the site has to be from Beggars Lane to the A47, Hinckley Road, LFE or via the B582, Desford Lane, Enderby.
Notwithstanding, that the Developers plan to improve junctions at Beggars Lane and other junctions and undertake realignment of the lane itself, these alterations are, in themselves, likely to seriously disrupt traffic flow, in LFE, Kirby Muxloe and Enderby, while being undertaken. With already congested routes at morning and evening peak times, add to this, up to 1200 extra cars and buses entering and leaving the development site, together with the extra traffic emanating from the Earl Shilton development, commuting is likely to be at a standstill.
Much has been made of the new bus route from the site for Lubbesthorpe residents. This will enter and leave the site via the Baines Lane/ Hinckley Road junction. A dedicated bus lane will be constructed on the Hinckley Rd to join up with the bus lane leaving the Park and Ride at Meynells Gorse. The Hinckley Road will need to be widened to accommodate this bus lane and it is expected that loss of the grass verges will result.
It is anticipated, that at the second phase of the development in 2018 a new bridge will cross the M1 onto Meridian Way, Thorpe Astley. LFE RAG understands that the Developers expect 47% of the development traffic to eventually use this route to ingress/egress Lubbesthorpe Town. The traffic will flow onto Lubbesthorpe Way and add to the already serious congestion on the A563 ring road.
At a time, not yet decided, but possibly around 2022, a new bridge and road will be added over the M69 onto Leicester Lane, Enderby to dissipate the traffic from the southern end of the development, by which time, if this development succeeds, the New Town will be the size of Market Harborough!
The Developer’s presentation makes much of the extra open space and parklands that it intends to create. We have these already at Lubbesthorpe, with well farmed and arable land, woods, footpaths and wildlife habitats.
Both LFE and Braunstone Town are in Air Quality Management Areas which are already subject to pollution in excess of UK and EU limits. The new development can only add to these excesses with a likely traffic movement of 10,000 vehicles per day.
During the initial phase of this development, the existing amenities of LFE, Enderby, Kirby Muxloe and Braunstone Town, are likely to be stretched beyond capacity. The benefit to these Parishes is perceived as nil; in fact of significant negative value. The LFE RAG will continue to object to this development and when the draft Core Strategy was presented in August 2009 by Blaby District Council, 600 plus objections ensued. We hope that significantly more objections will be forth-coming on this occasion, when the Developers planning application is presented in early March 2011
We believe that this reasoning gives the strongest grounds for objections
