Peta objects to 'pig-demeaning' pork pie road name

An animal rights charity has called on Leicestershire County Council to strike Pork Pie Way off a list of potential names for Melton Mowbray's new bypass, branding the suggestion "pig-demeaning".

The Reform UK-run authority ran a public vote, which ended at midnight on Tuesday, to decide the name of the 4.4-mile (7.1km) route around the north and east of the town.

Pork Pie Way is on a shortlist of names because the pies are a speciality of the town's butchers, but the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has written to council leader Dan Harrison urging him to choose Vegan Pie Way instead.

Harrison told the BBC the charity's idea was "ridiculous" and "farcical".

Dawn Carr, Peta's vice-president of corporate projects, said: "Vegan Pie Way would keep the nod to local heritage while swapping out meat, something more people than ever are doing out of concern for animals, the planet, and their own health.

"Peta is encouraging Leicestershire to lead the way with a more compassionate road name that kind tourists everywhere would happily take a detour for."

The charity said it would cover the cost of the Vegan Pie Way road signs if the council accepted the name.

However, Harrison rejected the suggestion and said: "This new road is the biggest project Leicestershire County Council has ever undertaken. It will transform an historic town, enabling new homes, boosting jobs, skills and local businesses.

"It is a great achievement for this council and thousands of people have voted in our poll for the road's new name.

"This suggestion is nothing more than pie in the sky thinking. We won't be considering it."

The new route is currently officially known as the North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NEMMDR).

Once public votes have been counted, its new name is expected to be announced at an opening ceremony later in May.

The shortlist of options was drawn up after discussions with local politicians, community representatives and council officers.

It included:

• Pork Pie Way - reflecting Melton Mowbray's long-standing national reputation as the home of the famous Melton Mowbray pork pie
• River Eye Road comes from the River Eye, which runs through Melton Mowbray
• Wreake Road - taken from the River Wreake, which flows close to Melton Mowbray
• 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
• Wolds Way - refers to the nearby Wolds landscape, reflecting the town's rural setting and connections to the countryside
• Farrier Way - Farriers trained at the Melton Mowbray Defence Animal Training Regiment
• Victory Road - recognises Melton Mowbray's historic links to national moments of victory and remembrance
• Military Way - reflects Melton Mowbray's strong and long-established links with the armed forces
• Veteran Road - recognises the contribution of veterans and highlights Melton Mowbray's continuing military connections

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

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

The final cost of the scheme is expected to be about £134m - nearly twice the original budget of £63.5m.

It will also include more cycling and walking routes.

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.