Lincolnshire taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay millions for bats and others inflated costs, the county’s leader says. The projected cost of the has risen by £1 million, with along the route.

– which would have to pay the extra costs – plans to fight back against the unexpected bills. The authority also wants to question Anglian Water on why the predicted cost to move pipes has more than doubled from £3.1million to £6.5million in two years.

The council’s leader Sean Matthews is adamant that won’t be picking up the bills. “I want to get on with North Hykeham Relief Road, but I’m not prepared to pay £4.3million for bat tunnels and bridges that may well never get used,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“Natural England [who require that the bats are protected] need to understand

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