About the project
The A15 Lincoln Eastern Bypass is a 7.5km road designed to improve Lincoln’s infrastructure, encourage growth, minimise traffic congestion and enhance the inter-city environment.
The bypass starts at a new roundabout on the A15 Sleaford Road and finishes at the A158 Wragby Road.
This road connects with the existing northern relief road and is the second-to-last step towards creating a complete ring road around the city.
Lincolnshire County Council, the Department for Transport, and the three district authorities (City of Lincoln Council, West Lindsey and North Kesteven District Councils) backed the project.
Lincoln Eastern Bypass flyover
Lincoln Eastern Bypass in numbers
Front-seat view of the new Lincoln Eastern Bypass
360 panorama view of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass
Aims and benefits
Now that the project is complete, the new bypass will:
- support Lincoln’s growth, in terms of economy and development
- reduce congestion in and around Lincoln
- enhance the inter-city environment
- open up land for new housing
- reduce carbon emissions
- improve air and noise quality
- serve as the second to last step towards a complete ring road around the city
- incorporate a future-proofed design
Cost and funding
The project is estimated to cost £122 million and will be funded as follows:
- £50m of from central government funding,
- £37m from the county council
- £34m from third-party developers
The third-party developer’s costs will be forward-funded by the county council.
Timeline
- December 2012: Planning permission submitted
- June 2013: Planning permission granted
- August 2015: Public inquiry takes place
- February 2016: Legal Orders granted by Secretary of State
- May 2016: Contractors arrive on-site to build 130m track for access
- September 2016: Archaeologists arrive on-site and begin excavations
- October 2016: Carillion selected as the preferred contractor
- November 2016: Funding confirmed by Department for Transport
- December 2016: Network Rail begins work to build a railway bridge over the new bypass
- June 2017: Main construction works begin
- July 2017: Work on Market Rasen line rail bridge begins
- October 2017: Network Rail Lincoln to Spalding Railway underbridge slid into place
- January 2018: Carillion goes into liquidation and LCC terminates works contract
- February 2018: The first package of construction works awarded to Galliford Try
- April 2018: Washingborough railway bridge complete
- June 2018: The remainder of construction works awarded to Galliford Try
- July 2018: Main archaeology excavations complete
- December 2018: Lincoln to Market Rasen open to site traffic
- December 2018: Temporary River Witham haul bridge complete
- August 2019: Lincoln Road roundabout complete
- October 2019: Hawthorn Road NMU bridge complete
- October 2019: Sleaford Road Roundabout complete
- December 2019: Greetwell Road Roundabout complete
- January 2020: Heighington Road bridge complete
- March 2020: South Delph footbridge complete
- August 2020: Bloxholm Lane footbridge complete
- August 2020: Greetwell Road footbridge complete
- August 2020: Washingborough Road Roundabout complete
- December 2020: River Witham Viaduct complete
- December 2020: Road officially opened
Planning application documents
The planning application was granted in June 2013.
View the Planning application documents.
Public inquiry
We conducted a public inquiry to authorise us to:
- stop up lengths of highway and private means of access
- improve highways
- construct new highways
- provide new private means of access
View the Public inquiry documents.
Purchase and ancillary orders
You can view a copy of the order, plans and associated orders at County Offices in Lincoln.
They are also available at the offices of North Kesteven District Council.
View the Compulsory purchase order and ancillary orders documents.
Confirmed orders
You can view a copy of the order, plans and associated orders at County Offices in Lincoln.
They are also available at the offices of North Kesteven District Council.
Statement of case
You can view a copy of the order, plans and associated orders at County Offices in Lincoln.
They are also available at the offices of North Kesteven District Council.
View the Statement of case documents.
Archaeology
Archaeological works took place near the site of the new rail bridge west of Washingborough Road.
They started in September 2016 and ended in April 2018. They were carried out by Lincoln firm Network Archaeology.
Over 250,000 artefacts were discovered on the site of the Lincoln Eastern Bypass. Some of them date back 10,000 years.
Protection and enhancement of our cultural heritage is an important part of the project.
View the Archaeology documents.
Final funding bid
Final funding bid documents including annexes, DfT queries and forecast reports.