Traffic planners say the upgrades will ensure smoother journeys for motorists, as well as pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities
Drivers travelling between Loughborough and the M1 along the A512 Ashby Road can enjoy quicker journeys after the completion of a major revamp project.
The A-road to the west of the town has now been turned into a dual carriageway, with five of its junctions remodelled, as well as where it meets the M1, at Junction 23.
The key route is set to get a lot busier, with plans for more than 4,000 new homes to be built Loughborough and Shepshed over the next 16 years.
Traffic planners say the upgrades will also ensure smoother journeys for motorists, as well as pedestrians, cyclists and people with disabilities.
Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said: I am delighted to see this major project completed with the minimum of disruption to motorists and would thank all for their patience and understanding while the work was underway.
These improvements will make a huge difference to the travelling public, not only on our local roads, but also by improving access to the strategic network at M1 J23, which is a vitally important route for both local and national economies, he said.
The environment and sustainability have been at the heart of our work on this project, he said.
We are pleased to have been able to provide better routes for pedestrians, cyclists and those people with disabilities and doing so while fostering really positive community engagement and delivering on carbon reduction, he said.
In efforts to move to renewable energy, hydrotreated vegetable oil was trialled as fuel for the generator in the site office during the work, reducing Co2 emissions by a 90 per cent.
Kevin Harris, Chair of the board of directors for the Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, which helped fund the project, said: Leicestershire’s position at the heart of the UK’s road network means that our transport infrastructure must remain world-class and fit for the future.
