Badger bend reopens as months of disruption come to an end

College Road in East Halton has reopened to traffic – with the final safety barriers now installed.

It brings months of disruption to an end and allows residents and businesses to stop using the 30-mile diversion that has been in place while the road underwent a major rebuild.

The road has been rebuilt from the ground up after a badger sett undermined the embankment, requiring a complex engineering solution to stabilise the ground before the carriageway could be reconstructed.

Over recent weeks, contractors have rebuilt and strengthened the embankment, reconstructed the road, laid a new surface and repaired and replaced sections of the safety barrier, restoring an important route for local communities.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “I know this reopening will come as a relief to everyone who’s had to live with the disruption. Like residents, I’ve shared the frustration of seeing an important local road closed for so long.

“This wasn’t simply a case of resurfacing the road. The embankment had to be rebuilt and stabilised before the carriageway itself could be reconstructed.

“It was a challenging project, but the important thing is that the road is now open again and serving local communities. People can stop making the lengthy diversion, local communities are reconnected, and with harvest just around the corner the road will once again be there for farmers, residents and businesses who depend on it every day.”

The project was delivered in partnership with Natural England, ensuring the necessary environmental protections were in place while allowing the essential repairs to go ahead.