Melton Mowbray’s new £131 million road opens as Pork Pie Way

Melton Mowbray’s long-awaited new distributor road has officially opened to traffic under the name Pork Pie Way – a title chosen by residents in a public vote that drew nearly 4,000 participants.

The name was unveiled at a preview event marked with the ceremonial cutting of a pork pie. Pork Pie Way received 65% of the vote – a clear majority – with its bold nod to Melton Mowbray’s world-famous food heritage and its identity as the Rural Capital of Food proving decisive with residents.

Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood said the opening was “a proud moment that puts Melton Mowbray firmly on the map, while creating a road that will support new jobs, homes and opportunities for years to come.” The scheme has received close to £50 million in government investment, with the total project cost reaching £131 million.

The 4.5-mile route runs from the A606 Nottingham Road, around the eastern edge of the town, and back to the A606 near Burton Lazars. Designed to take through traffic out of the town centre, the road aims to cut congestion, improve journey reliability and support long-term housing and economic growth in the area.

The project is a flagship example of delivery under the MHA+ Medium Schemes Framework (MSF4) and Professional Services Partnership (PSP4) frameworks, bringing together contractor Galliford Try, engineering consultancy AECOM and Leicestershire County Council in a model of cross-organisational collaboration. That partnership extended beyond the immediate project team, with close working relationships forged with local and specialist businesses, and during construction, with Natural England and the Environment Agency, as well as careful coordination with Network Rail to minimise disruption during major bridge construction over a mainline railway.

One of the scheme’s most striking environmental achievements was the careful relocation of the protected River Eye (a Site of Special Scientific Interest), using fish-friendly gravel to create new wildlife habitats. The results have already been striking – ducks, dragonflies and even an otter have been spotted in the area.

Councillor Dan Harrison, Leader of Leicestershire County Council, described the opening as a once-in-a-generation moment, acknowledging that the scheme had been delivered through years of planning and some of the most challenging conditions any major project could face. The road has achieved an outstanding rating from the Considerate Constructors Scheme, with three gold awards recognising high standards across safety, environmental care and community consideration.

The scheme delivered significant social value and strong environmental performance. It generated £25.5 million in added social value and £43.2 million in local spend, with 80% of the workforce drawn from the local area. Nearly 950 weeks of apprenticeship training and student placements were completed, 65 students took part in construction-related sessions, and over £48,000 was donated in time and materials to local schools and community projects. More than 1,843 tonnes of waste was diverted from landfill, with a 98% recycling rate achieved and 7,741 tonnes of locally sourced material reused on site. New habitats were also created, including two artificial badger sets and 20 bat and bird boxes installed across the project.

MHA+ Manager Karen Notman described Pork Pie Way as “a fantastic example of what our MHA+ frameworks can achieve when contractors, designers and local authorities work together towards a shared goal,” adding that the sustained collaboration enabled by the framework had delivered results “not just in the road that has been built, but in the wildlife habitats created, the communities considered and the high standards recognised by the Considerate Constructors Scheme.”

Karen added: “This is exactly the model of infrastructure delivery that we want to see more of, and it demonstrates the real value that well-structured framework partnerships can bring to local communities and the wider region.”

The opening has also renewed calls for a southern section connecting to the A607 Leicester Road. Melton and Syston MP Edward Argar has called for funding to extend the route, suggesting housing developer contributions from planned development to the south of the town could help make the case.