New bypass named Pork Pie Way after public vote

Pork Pie Way has been chosen as the name of Melton Mowbray's new bypass after a public vote.

Leicestershire County Council announced the £131m road would be named in honour of the meaty treat, a speciality of the town's butchers, at a ceremony on Thursday.

The council ran a public vote to pick the name and said Pork Pie Way received an "overwhelming" 65% of the 3,975 votes cast.

There has been controversy around the vote after the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) said Pork Pie Way was "pig-demeaning", and urged the Reform UK-run council to choose Vegan Pie Way instead.

Council leader Dan Harrison dismissed the charity's suggestion as "nothing more than pie in the sky thinking".

Sections of the 4.4-mile (7.1km) route, around the north and east of the town, are due to open in phases, with it being fully open to traffic by Monday.

Melton Borough Council leader Ronan Browne said: "This is a defining moment for Melton Mowbray.

"The new road and its name reflect both our heritage, our character and our ambition, giving the town the infrastructure it needs to grow while celebrating what makes Melton Mowbray distinctive and special.

"On behalf of Melton Mowbray, I would like to thank all those involved in making this historic moment a reality."

Harrison said the town had been awaiting the road for a long time.

"It is an absolute honour to mark what is a once-in-a-generation moment for our county.

"This scheme stands on decades of work and has been delivered through some of the most challenging years any major project could face.

"From the Covid‑19 pandemic and global supply chain disruption, to severe flooding and international instability, reaching this point is a huge credit to everyone involved in building the road, and I want to congratulate all those who have worked hard to make this a reality.

"Thank you to local people for their patience and understanding along the way. Today marks the completion of a road that will transform how this area functions and grows for future generations."

Roads and buses minister Simon Lightwood attended Thursday's ceremony.

He said: "I was absolutely delighted to be in Melton Mowbray today to mark the opening of Pork Pie Way - a name that embraces the history and heritage of the town - which has been backed by nearly £50m in government investment.

"It's 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."

• Pork Pie Way - reflecting Melton Mowbray's long-standing national reputation as the home of the famous Melton Mowbray pork pie - 65%
• Wolds Way - refers to the nearby Wolds landscape, reflecting the town's rural setting and connections to the countryside - 7%
• Lazars Way - refers to nearby Burton Lazars, which takes its name from the medieval Knights of St Lazarus, who had a significant historical presence in the area - 6%
• Farrier Way - Farriers trained at the Melton Mowbray Defence Animal Training Regiment - 6%
• River Eye Road comes from the River Eye, which runs through Melton Mowbray - 4%
• Military Way - reflects Melton Mowbray's strong and long-established links with the armed forces - 4%
• Veteran Road - recognises the contribution of veterans and highlights Melton Mowbray's continuing military connections - 3%
• Victory Road - recognises Melton Mowbray's historic links to national moments of victory and remembrance - 3%
• Wreake Road - taken from the River Wreake, which flows close to Melton Mowbray - 2%

The shortlist of options for the road's name was drawn up after discussions with local politicians, community representatives and council officers.

The council said the new road was the largest highways scheme it had ever undertaken and would provide an alternative route for traffic, particularly HGVs.

It will also cut congestion and pollution in the town centre, officials added.

The final cost of the scheme is nearly twice the original budget of £63.5m.

It has been jointly funded by the council, the government, and developers who plan to build 4,500 homes in the area in the long term.

The council said long-term plans still remained for an extra section of the road to continue around the south of the town, although it said there was no defined timescale for that phase of the project.

As it stands, that southern extension to the road would be funded by contributions from housing developers and would be built when new homes are delivered.

Listen to BBC Radio Leicester on Sounds and follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.