North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (Pork Pie Way)

Leicestershire, United Kingdom

Year

2023 - May 2026

Duration

3 years

Cost

£131 million

Location

United Kingdom

Project achievements

Solved the problem

Reduces congestion with Melton Mowbray town centre

Economy boosted

Improves access to potential employment opportunities

Environment benefitted

Used innovative carbon-saving techniques to reduce emissions

The road to success: Pork Pie Way

The North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NEMMDR) is a 7.1km bypass in Leicester built to reduce congestion in Melton Mobray's town centre.

Featuring six new roundabouts and four new bridges built over watercourses and the River Eye, it took home the Large Project and Social Value trophies at the 2026 ICE East Midlands Merit Awards.

The scheme's objective was to deliver a resilient bypass that reduces congestion, supports local growth and improves regional connectivity.

Its official name is Pork Pie Way, a title bestowed via public vote!

Did you know …

During the works, the project team came across some remarkable archaeological finds that date as far back as 12,000 BC!
From the prehistoric period, they found a "Palaeolithic hammerstone, a Late Mesolithic blade, a Neolithic knife and an Early Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowhead".
They also found Roman Iron Age pottery from around AD 40, Saxon pottery from around AD 600, alongside Roman coins, a brooch, a bone pin, a glass bead, Saxon loom weights, and more!

How the work was done

The Pork Pie Way route consists of a single carriageway road with walking and cycling facilities. It crosses the River Eye and the railway line.

The project team put a strong focus on cutting carbon emissions.

They used innovative carbon-saving initiatives, including using cold-mix asphalt containing 92% recycled materials for the road surface. This material was created onsite, which reduced transport-related emissions and boosted efficiency.

The project used prefabricated components and digital monitoring tools to build the road more safely, efficiently and sustainably.

From the start, the design and construction teams worked closely together to meet the needs of local communities, road users and other stakeholders.

The scheme was particularly challenging because it had to be built around several existing features and constraints, including an operational railway, a flood-prone area, environmentally sensitive land and connections to major roads.

Difference the project has made

As well as reducing congestion within Melton Mowbray, the new bypass improves access to the town centre and potential housing and employment opportunities.

It's also helping to minimise the amount of heavy-goods vehicles (HGVs) that need to travel through the town centre, which boosts road safety and reduces pollution in the area.