One of Preston’s most congested routes looks set to finally be tackled by the county council.
AdvertisementMotorists will face disruption throughout the summer at the Broughton roundabout as part of a £2.6 million improvement scheme.
The junction where the M55 meets the A6 has long been a bottleneck in the North of the city and now a widening scheme will improve traffic flow.
The first part of the scheme is expected to start on Monday 25 February to remove trees and hedging net to the A6 between D’urton Lane and the roundabout and pipes and cables will also be moved.
The main bulk of the work is estimated to take four to five months and will take place over the school holidays to reduce disruption, it will mainly take place in the early morning and evenings.
The full improvements are:
• Widen the northbound carriageway of the A6 to the south of the junction and provide three rather than two lanes onto the roundabout.
• Widen the southbound carriageway of the A6 north of the roundabout to provide an extra lane solely for access to the motorway.
• Upgrade the current traffic signals to provide controls at every junction.
• Add further traffic signals at the junction of Eastway and the A6 Garstang Road.
• Introduce pedestrian-controlled crossings to provide a safer crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists on the west side of the junction.
County Councillor Tim Ashton, Cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Broughton roundabout is a key gateway for the north of Preston and this investment is vital to ensure people’s journeys do not become unmanageable as traffic levels continue to grow.
“We’re already planning for the further improvements to our transport infrastructure that will be needed to support future economic growth in this area, which are outlined in the Highways and Transport Masterplan for Central Lancashire.
“This scheme is the first in that plan to become a reality and, while there will be some disruption in the short term while the work takes place, it is essential if we’re to keep traffic moving and avoid Broughton becoming gridlocked.”
Alongside the improvements the county council is currently applying for permission to carry out a scoping exercise on the validity of a Broughton bypass.
Plans to renew permission for the bypass is expected to be applied for in July 2013.
What do you think of the work? Will you be affected? Let us know in the comments below