College Road roadworks – Thornton Abbey bends

The closure implemented due to a sudden increased deterioration of the carriageway on College Road. This was an emergency decision due to risk of collapse, meaning there was limited time to undertake formal consultation.

An immediate street works permit and temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) was submitted to address the immediate safety risks as well as to cover the later construction activities to repair College Road.

Protected Wildlife (protected by law/Natural England) was identified to be residing under the road in February 2025. Wildlife have buried into the road and removed a lot of the earth/existing road construction causing severe subsidence and voiding.

To carry out investigation works and associated repairs, under national legislation, the wildlife must be relocated.

To gain permission to relocate the wildlife, special ecological monitoring, reporting, associated licenses and conditions had to be met prior to undertaking any works. No physical works (including relocation works) can legally take place between 30 November and 1 July due to wildlife mating seasons.

The work to support the license has been ongoing through spring / summer 2025 and the required environmental licenses were granted in October.

Environmental licenses were granted in October 2025 and the relocation of the wildlife commenced shortly thereafter. Works to relocate the wildlife were successfully completed in November and invasive ground investigation works were carried out to enable design works.

Unfortunately, in mid-December 2025, the wildlife re-entered the roadside embankment. As it is now mating season, we are outside the window for any licensable activity and no further works to exclude the wildlife can be carried out until 1st July 2026. This is governed by legal requirements beyond North Lincolnshire Council’s control.

Once relocation works recommence, and the wildlife is successfully relocated, construction works to repair the road will commence immediately. This will likely be late July/early August 2026.

All essential ground investigation work were completed in December and engineers have the information required to continue designing a permanent repair to the road, embankment and safety barrier.

Works to repair the road will start as soon as is reasonably practicable in July 2026, provided we can lawfully exclude and relocate the wildlife first.

It is anticipated construction works will be complete and College Road will be re-opened to the public by late October 2026, as currently programmed.

Please note that this date remains indicative and may be subject to change due to factors beyond North Lincolnshire Council’s control, including ecological and/or licensing constraints.

Due to weight limits surrounding College Road, a diversion route has been chosen which suits all expected vehicle types. The diversion route is 36.2miles long and follows the below route in both directions:

• College Road (East)
• Townside, East Halton
• East Halton Road
• At roundabout, follow A160 towards ‘Immingham/West Gate Docks’
• Continue through successive roundabouts following A1733/Manby Road/Kings Road
• Proceed along A1733/Mathew Ford Way
• Continue on A1733 until Riby Junction
• At Riby Junction, take A18 North towards ‘M180/Humber Bridge/Airport/Brigg’
• Follow A18 through Great Limber and High Street
• At roundabout, continue on A18 towards ‘Brigg/Wrawby A18’
• Follow A18/Brigg Road
• At junction, take B1206 towards ‘Barrow/South Ferriby/Elsham’
• Continue on B1206/Barton Road
• At junction, follow B1206 towards ‘Barton/Barrow/New Holland’
• Continue on B1206/Wold Road
• At second crossroad junction in Barrow-upon-Humber, follow signs to College Road (‘Goxhill/East Halton’)
• Continue along College Road and over the railway crossing