Agenda item

The Chief Executive reported that one question had been received under Standing Order 32 from Mr Ray Sutton:

“The context is the May 21st site visit to the signal-controlled four-way junction in Kegworth located on the old A6 route half a mile from M1 J24: LCC Highways officers, two district councillors and the chair of parish observed frequent HGVs turning Right/North from the East with their trailers entering the already narrow stop and wait lane for Right/West turning traffic from the North.

Will the Highways Lead prioritise a review of the adequacy of () standard modelling in relation to lived road usage, (ii) the design of this major junction in relation to vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian safety on multiple routes through the junction, and (iii) the interaction of long wheelbase vehicles on the North/East and North/West routes if a planned warehouse development were to add frequent conflicting HGV traffic North and West.”

Reply by the Chairman:

Council highways officers attended a site meeting with County Councillors, Mr Tilbury CC and Mr Pugsley CC, on 21 May 2026 to discuss a live planning application (25/00236/FULM) relating to the Former RBS Data Centre. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the application and associated concerns; during the visit, highways officers did witness HGV manoeuvres whilst engaging in discussions.

The planning application site in question would be accessed via Packington Hill. The specific manoeuvre identified by Mr Sutton regards HGVs turning right out of Side Ley heading north onto Derby Road. This relates to existing traffic manoeuvres and not any manoeuvres associated with the planning application traffic.

Swept path analysis is industry standard methodology, and this has been provided in support of the planning application, using a topographical base; there is no reasonable alternative methodology that could be undertaken.

As part of the planning application, in addition to swept path analysis of relevant manoeuvres, and junction capacity assessments, an assessment of Personal Injury Collision (PIC) data has been undertaken which identified that there have been two recorded PICs at this junction within the last five years. When considering the circumstances of each PIC, there is no evidence to suggest that the development proposal would exacerbate the likelihood of further such incidents occurring.

Southbound right-turners on Derby Road, turning into Packington Hill would be held at the stop line, and not be positioned in the right-turn pocket when vehicles exiting Side Ley, heading north would be undertaking that manoeuvre. Therefore, this does not pose a risk of conflict.

Noting the concerns over interactions between HGVs travelling north from Derby Road and turning right onto Side Ley and left on Packington Hill simultaneously, the applicant has demonstrated that there would be no demand for development HGV traffic to access Derby Road from the south. Any existing HGV traffic turning right into Side Ley would therefore not be affected by the development proposals.

Highways officers are therefore satisfied that no further assessment in relation to 25/00236/FULM is required. However, to fully assess the concerns which do not relate to the planning application, Council signal engineers will carry out observations week commencing 1 June when usual traffic conditions have resumed following half term break. Once this has been completed, officers will then assess options, and an update can be provided by 5 June.

Supplementary question

Mr Sutton requested clarification on how an upcoming assessment, scheduled for this week, would reconcile previous ‘swept path modelling’ conclusions with the actual lane encroachment and vehicle interactions witnessed firsthand by Council officers on 21 May, specifically under conditions of queue spillback and vehicles being forced beyond the stop line at the signal-controlled junction.

At the invitation of the Chairman, the Director of Growth, Environment and Transport explained that existing swept path modelling demonstrated what was technically feasible under perfect driving conditions and specific geometry although it was acknowledged that drivers did not always follow ideal patterns and that the ongoing site visit was specifically designed to record actual behaviour through video and photography. Mr Sutton was assured that officers were actively monitoring the junction to record real-world movements. This data would be used to assess whether further amendments or interventions would be necessary at the junction, and the findings would be communicated back to Mr Sutton.