£39 million road improvements for Lancashire
Drivers in Lancashire are to benefit from £39 million worth of road improvements over the next few years with some significant improvements to the county’s motorways and major A road network over the next few months.
The £39 million represents a figure for schemes the Highways Agency is already committed to delivering with even more investment before the end of the decade as part of the Government’s £24 billion Action for Roads programme by 2021.
A total of 78 projects, including 7 major economy-boosting Pinch Point projects, will have been delivered in Lancashire by the end of March.
Large stretches of the motorway and major A road network in the county will also see safer and smoother journey improvements involving bridge and drainage repairs, replacement safety barriers, resurfacing and renewal of signs, road studs and road markings
Highways Agency North West Regional Director Alan Shepherd said:
This is really good news for road users across Lancashire because it will ultimately mean less congestion, more reliable journey times and improved safety. Record amounts are being invested in roads – that inevitably means more roadworks, but for every scheme we work on there will be an improvement for drivers.
We are well aware of how frustrating drivers find roadworks – but I would like to reassure everyone that all our work is planned very carefully to cause as little disruption as possible. Some is inevitable – and we ask for drivers’ cooperation while the improvements are carried out.
Nationally, every day some four million vehicles use roads managed by the Highways Agency, that’s one third of all traffic; and around 80 per cent of all goods travel by road, with two thirds of large goods vehicles.
Significant repair and maintenance schemes scheduled to be completed in Lancashire by the end of March include:
- £1.4 million to renew safety barriers along the M58 around junction 4 at Skelmersdale
- £400,000 to replace safety barriers between junction 33 and 34 of the M6 near Lancaster
- £530,000 drainage repairs along the A585 near Mains Lane near Poulton
- £135,000 resurfacing for Huncoat roundabout along the A56 near Accrington
- £155,000 for new road markings along the M6 around junction 31 near Preston
- Resurfacing 10 miles of carriageway along sections of the M65, M61 and M6
As well as maintenance and repairs, a further 7 ‘pinch point’ improvements – specifically aimed at supporting local developments, relieving congestion and improving safety – are or will be taking place for completion by the end of March. They are:
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£7 million M6 widening around junction 32 with the M55 north of Preston providing extra lane space through the junction
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2 junction improvements giving safer, less-congested journeys along the A585 in £1.3 million and £3 million projects at Windy Harbour and Bourne Way
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2 new electronic message signs with CCTV cameras around junction 35 of the M6 at Carnforth in a £2m project giving better information to drivers and allowing better monitoring of and response to incidents and congestion. A similar project at junction 33 at Galgate was completed earlier this year.
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An £800,000 project extending from 7 to 9 the number of CCTV cameras covering the busy M6 between junction 27 at Charnock Richard and junction 28 at Leyland, allowing better monitoring of and response to incidents and congestion – with 2 new cameras also being installed between junction 1 and junction 2 of the M65 at Walton Summit
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Work with Blackburn with Darwen Council to deliver £1.4 million of improvements at junction 5 of the M65 near Blackburn to provide traffic signals at the roundabout with the local A road and improve traffic flows and safety
During any roadworks drivers are advised to plan their journeys and allow more for travel. Drivers can get up-to-the-minute travel information by phoning the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 or by accessing the Agency’s website. Drivers can also download the Highways Agency’s iPhone app or follow updates via Twitter @HAtraffic_nwest.
Further information regarding current and planned roadworks in Lancashire plus neighbouring North West counties and regions can be found on the Highways Agency website.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways Agency press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.