Lincolnshire County Council has admitted that traffic management issues in Spalding are “becoming intolerable” but is unable to say when they will be resolved.
Spalding pub landlord and South Holland district councillor Pete Williams told Richard Wills, the county council’s executive director for environment and economy, that the issues were stopping “a huge amount of people from using Spalding”.
He said: “The traffic lights have obviously been designed to cope with three or four little trains going through there each day.”
He said the picture has changed now with level crossings barriers being down many more times each day and Highways ought to make signals improvements a priority.
Mr Wills said Coun Williams’ “analysis was correct”, adding: “We’re building a mathematical model which will help with the signals. The problems around not doing it are becoming intolerable.
“We’re working with Network Rail pretty closely and the developers [of new homes].”
The situation was being reviewed as part of an overall study.
“There’s no point in doing it piecemeal,” he added. “I’m not willing to give a timetable [on when improvements will be carried out].”
Julie Fisher, customer development manager at Bicker Bar haulier Turners (Soham) Ltd, warned that there could be an accident because lorry drivers are avoiding the stretch of the A151 through Spalding town centre in favour of less suitable roads.
She said: “Drivers are cutting through Pinchbeck to go via West Pinchbeck. We are having to use it.”
Mr Wills replied: “While you haven’t got a relief road I’m afraid I don’t have the answer.”
