Road closure extended after bypass work delay

A road closure put in place as part of work to build a town's bypass has been extended.

Leicestershire County Council closed Melton Spinney Road, near Melton Mowbray, in January to allow for a phase of construction of a £115m relief road to the east and north of the town.

Engineers had planned to reopen it on Sunday but the authority said it would now remain shut until mid-May.

The decision had been taken after delays to utility works, involving a third party, had overrun, it added.

The authority said a temporary one-way system and parking restrictions in nearby Scalford would also be kept in place to try to minimise disruption.

A council spokesperson said: "Every effort will be made to try and reopen Melton Spinney Road earlier if possible."

Twinlakes theme park, on Melton Spinney Road, can "be accessed from the direction of Melton and the existing diversion remains in place," they added.

The new 4.4-mile (7km) North & East Melton Distributor Road (NEMMDR) is being built to relieve congestion in the town centre and unlock land for homes to be built.

Construction began in 2023 and the new road is anticipated to open early in 2026.

Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.