Plans for a new congestion-busting road in Coalville will drive forward with a debate over the proposals this week.

The Bardon Link Road will provide a new route for drivers navigating the Bardon Road/Stephenson Way junction east of the town.

The link road would run to the south of the existing roundabout, creating a new 'arm', and cutting under the railway line behind the existing row of houses on Bardon Road.

Four of these homes would need to be demolished in the works.

The scheme was one of a number of improvements proposed by Leicestershire County Council along the busy A511 corridor between the A42 Junction 13 at Ashby to the Field Head roundabout near Junction 22 of the M1, to ease traffic build-up along the route.

But the wider scheme is now in the firing line as the cash-strapped authority scrambles to save money.

Other possible improvements along the A511 could include expanding a section of Stephenson Way to make it a dual carriageway and work to six other roundabouts along the A511.

However, the county council needs to find £90million worth of savings by 2026/27 and has announced a number of infrastructure projects are in the firing line, including the A511 corridor schemes.

The council's development control committee has been advised to approve the link road plan at a meeting this Thursday.

The current Bardon Road/Stephenson Way roundabout in Coalville. Photo: Instantstreetview.com

North West Leicestershire District Council has already given its blessing.

The road would also provide better access to the around 3,500 new homes off Grange Road in Hugglescote for which developers have been granted planning permission, the county council has said.

The 450m stretch of road will have footpaths and cycleways running along both sides.

The public right of way on the land would be re-routed to line up with the road, and a crossing provided for pedestrians.

The new road has long been campaigned for by Coalville residents who have become fed up with heavy traffic and pollution.

There would be an 18 tonne weight limit to restrict heavy vehicles from using the route. It is proposed to have a 30mph speed limit.

Talking about the possible wider scrapping on the A511 corridor plans, Chris Tambini, Director of Corporate Resources said in December: "Projects like the Melton Mowbray Distributor Road and the development of the A511, they come with very big price tags.

"As Leicestershire is a county with such a growing population, it's going to be very problematic to put that much funding into each local plan that comes along throughout the seven districts.

"We just can't afford that level of infrastructure investment like we have done in the past."