Lincolnshire’s poorest roads could have their tarmac torn up and reverted to gravel tracks under a new policy being discussed. According to Lincolnshire Live no roads have yet been selected, and highways teams will look for opportunities when they arise.

The strategy to downgrade roads – known technically as ‘unmetalling’ – will need signing off by Lincolnshire County Council’s leaders in April.

There are currently 391km of unmetalled roads in the county, and the authority has promised that safety will be the top priority when deciding where to make changes.

Lincolnshire County Council says that it would formalise a process that the highways department has always carried out and wants to explore more. The unmetalling is being considered to help manage the growing cost of roads, with Lincolnshire’s 9,000km network growing by around 18km per year.

The council’s highways department believes the policy will be more cost-effective in areas with high ground movement and the unmetalling forms part of the Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan for the next three years.

Opposition councillors said the public would be “very concerned” about the policy at a Highways meeting last week, although officers said “something has to give”.

Conservative leader Councillor Richard Davies said:

“The idea that unclassified roads may see their tarmac torn up and replaced with gravel will be very concerning to people of Lincolnshire.”

Head of highways Jonathan Evans replied:

“It is something we have done informally over a number of years, and want to explore further. We want to be doing it through engagement with communities. With the cost and burden to maintain larger road networks, something has to give, and we want to explore this option.”

(Picture: Danaher Walsh)