RELIEF ROAD

STOP PRESS !! 10/3/22
NLC ANNOUNCES THAT RELIEF ROAD OPTION 1 WAS THE CLEAR PREFERENCE IN THE CONSULTATION RESULT !!

https://www.northlincs.gov.uk/news/residents-preferred-route-for-barton-link-road-revealed/

(SEE LATEST NEWS OF 10/3/22 FOR MORE INFO)

*Update 10/2/22 am:
This is copied from Latest News, but is relevant:

RAID has kept you informed and was quietly leaving Residents to decide Barton's future

But there are a couple of things worth mentioning:

ROAD RECLASSIFICATION
A key tool (as well as others) in controlling traffic behaviour
Difficult?
NO ! - Local Authorities have had this power for about 10 years!
It's a myth that it needs debating in Parliament etc, etc.....

PRIVATE VEHICLES & "GOOD NEIGHBOUR" POLICY
As we've said many times, private vehicles are difficult to control - FACT
But many major employers have a "good neighbour" policy
This actively encourages minimum-disruption employee travel
This could include staggered arrival/departure/shift times, park and ride etc
A lot depends on whether the employer signs up to helping the Community
Will WREN?
They have said that they want to help - so let's see.......
An unrealistic expectation?
NO !!
For instance, we gather that the two local oil refineries actively discourage car travel via certain routes

Enhanced traffic control is made up of many tools and encourages changes in behaviour
A good start is having a section of new road to enable this
0.7 mile of tarmac will suffice.....
Endless dithering and debate won't
It's why we didn't get a Relief Road decades ago......

VOTE OPTION 1 !!

*Update 26/1/22:
The Latest News page of 16/1/22 gives an overview of what's happening
But here's some of the finer detail

OK, some of it's a bit heavy
And some of it may be a repetition of whats gone before
So, being Open Book we'll put the older stuff under a "History" heading
But we want to show you why we believe NLC's REAL main agenda is housing and development - not traffic
We fully expect NLC to say "ah well - it was only studies" (a bit like the famous and dismissive "just lines on a map" quote !)
In that case, they've spent an awful lot of time and (our) money on them !
It's unlikely to have been just for fun
HAS NLC BEEN OPEN AND HONEST WITH US?

Anyway, here goes:

DOCUMENTS
Timeline of the 2021/2022 story to date
(dates include Banks coming out of hiding - they first contacted NLC Planning in mid-2020, apparently: FOI info via RAID)
27/5/21 NLC letter about "Relief" Road (note: no mention of housing)
Local Plan Section 14.47 ("Link" road and predetermined (?) routing via B1218 - RAID challenged this clause!)
The "Link" road Technical Note (released after a RAID FOI request)
The 18/1/22 consultation for the "Relief" Road (note: no mention of housing)

Some observations:
Note how both of the NLC letters call it a "Relief" Road - not a "Link" Road
Note how neither NLC letter mentions housing AT ALL
Yet the NLC studies - and there seem to have been plenty - refer to "Link" Roads and housing

Why is this?
Could it be that a Relief Road is easier to "sell" if there is no mention of housing?
RAID thinks it makes a mockery of honest "consultation" (telling only part of the very likely story?)
And it's hardly a Relief Road if it brings more traffic misery and infrastructure overload, is it?
Maybe that's why the Local Plan and Study documents are transparent and call it a "Link" road?

So THIS is why RAID has been so determined to reveal the facts
We don't like being taken for fools
It affects the future of the WHOLE town - YOUR TOWN - NOT NLC's
And we believe it's a key reason why Banks appeared - we think they knew of NLC's dream
And the wonderful irony is that Banks' timing of their proposal made us question what was going on!
RAID challenged the previous Road "consultation"
No other group did, as far as we know
Without that, we believe the previous route would have been signed and sealed
Oh, and we asked about Wren HGV traffic too (no response)

BUT NOW YOU HAVE THE FULLER PICTURE - AND THE CHOICE THAT GOES WITH IT !!

Now read on, gentle reader.........

*Update 25/1/22 am:

IMPORTANT !!

TONIGHT !! - RELIEF ROAD CONSULTATION

RAID WILL BE THERE
Baysgarth School
(Right hand end of the building complex, as before?)
4pm - 7 pm

Nothing more to say at the moment, but please come back tomorrow......

KEEP VISITING THE SITE - THANK YOU !!

*Update 19/1/22:

LINK/RELIEF ROAD
RAID met with North Lincs Council (including Rob Waltham) last night
The 16/1/22 Update (below) gives some history about this topic
Despite previously asking (several times), NLC wouldn't say what their revised plan would be, if any
NOW WE KNOW !!
We've been asked to keep the revised NLC map confidential until 25/1/22 - so we will
BUT WHAT WE WILL SAY IS THAT IT'S SIMILAR TO THEIR PREVIOUS PROPOSAL
THE BIT NOW ABSENT IS THE DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE A15
But just like with Banks, we're convinced this is just a stealthy foot-in-the-door exercise
The future? "Well, it was only a concept drawing"
"We've changed things a bit due to design/land issues"
"Oh, and we're now going to continue on to the A15"

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Well, first of all, we'll show you this:
(Then please read what follows it)

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? (CONTINUED)

NLC has written to the whole town to tell people about the Baysgarth consultation meeting for the road options

(RAID comment: short notice, or what?!)
NLC will then hold an on-line poll, with a cutoff of 11/2/22

(RAID comment: very short for such an important topic, or what?!)
NLC has asked RAID what questions we would like in the consultation

Here they are (similar to the above flyer):

Our proposed questions are:

Do you want:

To get most of the HGV traffic (at least) out of the town asap?
A solution that prioritises the needs of our town and its community?
Reduced in-town traffic prioritised over excessive housebuilding?
To do this with the minimum of environmental damage?
To avoid Southern Barton being almost encircled by a new-build road?

So it will be interesting to see what NLC comes back with to "sell" their proposal (and - RAID believes - the same old hidden agenda, but disguised)

RAID HAS KEPT YOU INFORMED (UNLIKE OTHERS !)
RAID's PREDICTIONS HAVE BEEN RIGHT SO MANY TIMES (THAT'S NOT BRAGGING, IT'S FACT !)
RAID ALWAYS BELIEVED NLC'S ROAD PROPOSAL WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT MASSIVE INFILL HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT
RAID BELIEVES THAT THIS IS THE CASE - MORE THAN EVER !
SO YOU CAN SEE WHY BANKS WANT TO GET THEIR WAY (MAYBE NLC WOULD LIKE THAT, IN TRUTH?)
THIS WILL KILL THIS OVERSTRETCHED TOWN EVEN MORE !!
BARTON RESIDENTS WILL SOON HAVE THE CHANCE TO DECIDE THE FUTURE
LESS THAN THAN A MILE OF NEW ROAD?
OR THE PREMATURE CONCRETING OF BARTON'S SOUTHERN BOUNDARY

WHEN THE TIME COMES - HAVE YOUR SAY !!
IT'S YOUR TOWN - NOT NLC's

*Update 1/12/21 am:
"Just lines on a map" said Councillor A (see 7/10/21 Update: Latest News)

The 30/11/21 Update advised how to get to the "Barton Link Road Technical Note" (by the way Link and Relief Road are the same thing)
Below are three key pages from the document (sorry if they are not very easy to read !)

NLC claims that this is a draft and that they are still looking at options
The document refers to four Options

What's really revealing is:

The primary focus is "to support proposed housing development"

They all tick the "Benefits" box for supporting housing development (the top priority on each list)
Even Option 1 (Barrow Road to Eastfield Road only) talks of a 3-5 year timescale - plus an increased traffic impact on the town

The others talk of a 5-10 year timescale, high cost/risks, adverse environmental and traffic impacts

What's conspicuous by its (relative or total) absence is:
Mention of the horrendous traffic problems we already have - and that will get worse
Mention of Wren (apart from Section 106 payments)
ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY AND (AT LEAST) GET HGVs OUT OF TOWN

What's worrying is:
We think this info has been revealed primarily due to FOI requests (although we still await a formal reply - two months on!)
What NLC and our Councillors have been aware of - but have not shared it with the community
A perceived disrespect for greenbelt land ("let's build roads across it")
In a previous FOI request, we were told that Banks was unaware of the Relief Road study
Does RAID believe that? No, but it makes no difference...

RIGHT FROM THE OUTSET, RAID SAID THE RELIEF ROAD WAS A BADLY HIDDEN AGENDA (NEW BOUNDARY/BUILDING LINE)
THIS DOCUMENT INDICATES THAT WE WERE RIGHT !!

OH, AND WE ALSO TOLD YOU THAT THAT THE CURRENT PROPOSAL WOULD BE OTT AND £££££
RIGHT AGAIN - IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE BUT NLC DOESN'T SEEM TO GET IT !!
WHY IS THIS ??? IS SOME OTHER PARTY PULLING THE STRINGS ???

*Update 30/11/21 am:
RELIEF ROAD INFO - LOCAL PLAN CONSULTATION EXTENDED to 3/12/21 !
Well this one was slipped under the radar (no change there.....)
We heard about it by word of mouth from a landowner - not from a Councillor or NLC
Check out (again!): https://localplan.northlincs.gov.uk/stages/
Then scroll down and click on "Stage 4"
Then go to menu and click on "Evidence Base"
Scroll down to Section Section I and click on "Barton Link Road Technical Note"
You'll see a very lengthy document about Relief Road options to the South of the town
It's too heavy to break down into detail here but:
It's focused on building development (not mentioned in earlier link/relief road "consultation" stages)
It admits that many aspects of the proposals will do little to reduce traffic problems in the town
It admits that many of the proposals would cost a shed load of money and take ages to build

RAID SAYS THIS:
THIS IS A DOCUMENT DATED MAY 2021 - WHY HAS IT BEEN SNEAKED OUT AFTER THE ORIGINAL LOCAL PLAN CUT-OFF DATE ?
WHY IS IT INCOMPLETE? (e.g. APPENDIX 1 DETAILS)
WHY HAS NLC MADE NO MENTION OF RAID's PROPOSED ROUTE? (e.g. AS AN ADDENDUM NOTE TO THIS RELEASE)

THE RAID RELIEF ROAD PROPOSAL WOULD PROVIDE A RAPID AND RELATIVELY LOW COST SOLUTION TO (AT LEAST) OUR HGV PROBLEMS
YET AS FAR AS NLC IS CONCERNED, IT DOESN'T EVEN GET ACKNOWLEDGED !
NLC TOLD US THEY WERE LISTENING AND PREPARED TO WORK WITH RAID
AND WE BELIEVED IT........

RAID WILL BE WRITING TO NLC TO ASK WHY RAID's RELIEF ROAD PROPOSAL HAS NOT BEEN MENTIONED
IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT RAID BY WRITING INDIVIDUALLY, PLEASE DO SO BY 3/12/21 !!

RELIEF ROAD UPDATE 8/11/21 pm:

First of all a polite reminder - please see 2038 LOCAL PLAN PAGE and get your emails sent to NLC !!
Anyway, here's a bit of history about a Relief Road for Barton:

VERSION 1:

Planned before the 1990'S. Would have routed East/West traffic near to the riverbank
Opportunity lost due to dithering and lack of joined-up thinking, apparently

VERSION 2:
Proposed in 1992 by Humberside County Council. Running South from the East side of Barton to B1206
See map below
Opportunity believed to have been lost due (a) Landowner issues and (b) preservation of historical battle site (since in doubt, apparently. Doh...!)

VERSION 3:
NLC's current 2021 proposal
An over complex/expensive/eco-damaging excuse to complete the close encirclement of Barton and create a building line
Intent to create building line is buried in Local Plan's small print (Clause 14.47) OBJECT TO THIS CLAUSE !!
This was not mentioned when road proposal was issued (selective "consultation" data, eh NLC?!)
Not popular at the 3/11/21 Baysgarth "consultation", apparently
Perhaps not popular with anybody who can visualise the true implications....
The Road to Ruining Barton, RAID says !!

VERSION 4:
RAID's 2021 proposal:

In principle, not dissimilar to the 1992 proposal
See map below
Avoids Deepdale
Relatively simple, maximises use of existing routes
A quick-win HGV solution that Barton so desperately needs NOW !! (even before the Wren expansion starts operating)

Martin, can we have some of the masses of money and time saved by VERSION 4 spent on other improvements that Barton badly needs, please...?
No?
Er, why not Martin? Who's VERSION 3 really for? Developers or the town and community?
RAID believes it knows the answer to that question.......

RELIEF ROAD UPDATE 4/11/21 am:

Well yesterday saw the Local Plan consultation event at Baysgarth School, hosted by NLC
Anecdotal feedback was volunteered by some NLC personnel at that time. Various Residents who visited gave feedback to RAID afterwards
It would seem that no shortage of attendees had expressed the opinion:
(a) Yes, we DO need a Relief Road (RAID totally agrees with that !)
(b) We're not keen on the proposed route, why not use an East route? (i.e. the very basis of RAID's BRR proposal !)
Let's be absolutely clear about this:
1) RAID DID NOT "stage manage" any visits to that event
2) RAID's key objectives include providing information to the community to allow INFORMED DECISION. Seems to be working..... !

RELIEF ROAD CONSULTATION NOW EXTENDED TO JANUARY 2022 !!

THAT'S GREAT NEWS - COMMON SENSE & LOGIC SEEM TO BE PREVAILING !!

But the Baysgarth meeting was just a local event
What REALLY MATTERS now are the formal Local Plan review comments that are sent to NLC

THIS IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SAY IN THE LOCAL PLAN (BY 26/11/21), WHICH RUNS UNTIL 2038
USE IT WISELY !!!!

Nobody will deny that the traffic problems in the town area are horrendous. Many will say that the relief road will make things better

But think about this for a minute:

Who will be actually forced to use that road (unless other measures are introduced on existing roads)?

Wren heavy vehicles (if they enforce this)? Hopefully
Any other heavy traffic? No (why should they?)
Any private vehicles? No (why should they?)

So we'll have an expensive new road that will not necessarily reduce the traffic volume through town very much at all. Despite a far easier option (not via Deepdale) that looks entirely feasible.

But we will have a new road that will act as a perfect boundary for new developments (for a while, at least)

We will be adding maybe 800 vehicles within this new boundary, based on approved developments

And maybe the Banks development will double that. And then the building line may well march on from there......

Do the planners actually come and see the relentless traffic though every available route at shift-change times?

How will the centre of town cope with even more load? Overburden kills the heart !!

Isn't that the reason why town growth and traffic management should be planned and controlled properly....?

When the Relief Road proposal was sent out for "consultation", there was no mention of it becoming a new boundary as well. Then the Banks announcement followed very shortly afterwards

Did NLC already know of the Banks proposal (in principle)?
Was the Relief Road just part of a bigger (hidden) plan?
Was NLC being straight with us?

We'll probably never know the true story......

DO WE WANT & NEED A RELIEF ROAD? YOU BET WE DO!!

BUT ONE THAT WILL WORK & GIVES THE COMMUNITY WHAT IT REALLY NEEDS
NOT A COMPLEX, EXPENSIVE & STEALTHY ANSWER TO WHAT DEVELOPERS WANT

WE NEED JOINED-UP THINKING - NOT JOINED UP CONCRETE

RAID - Residents Against Inappropriate Development

Current Relief Road Plan
(aka Road to Ruin?)

RAID - Residents Against Inappropriate Development

Current Relief Road Plan(aka Road to Ruin?)

Current Relief Road Plan
(aka Road to Ruin?)