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Cost of Preston’s newest road the Western Distributor revealed

Posted on - 14th January, 2018 - 7:00am | Author - | Posted in - Ashton-on-Ribble, Cottam, Fulwood, Ingol, Lea, Politics, Preston News, Transport
An overhead view of where the Western Distributor is to go
An overhead view of where the Western Distributor is to go

An updated cost has been given for creating a new road to the west of the city.

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The Preston Western Distributor has seen the cost of building it spiral by more than £50million.

In total the scheme is now estimated at £161million and is not due to begin until the Autumn of 2019.

Lancashire County Council say a final business case is being worked up for the road which will run for 4.3km connecting the A583 Blackpool Road with the M55 at a new junction at Bartle.

The road must be signed off by the Secretary of State for Transport before construction can begin.

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Funding for the road is coming from the City Deal, a £434million investment in roads and housing across Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire.

Read more: Watch the route the Preston Western Distributor is due to take

Leader of the county council councillor Geoff Driver said: “This road will provide a major new link on the western side of the city, from the M55 towards Blackpool Road and Riversway.

“It will support new housing and business development in the area, provide relief to traffic pressures at junction one of the M55, and reduce congestion in the city centre.

“There will also be opportunities for new bus priority measures, improvements to local public areas and initiatives to encourage walking and cycling.

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“This is an important new road for Preston, as well the wider area, improving connections to the Fylde Coast and further afield, especially the national motorway network.”

Click to see full-size map showing the route of the Western Distributor
Click to see full-size map showing the route of the Western Distributor

The Western Distributor scheme also includes the East-West link road to connect Lightfoot Lane to the Western Distributor.

It will also see the Cottam Way built to link an area just to the north of the Lancaster Canal to the Western Distributor as well.

Chair of the City Deal Jim Carter said: “This is by far the largest transport project in the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal programme and one of several major road schemes in the City Deal.

“The Preston Western Distributor scheme is predicted to deliver high value for money with £2.29 in benefits for every pound invested in its delivery. It also has the potential to generate an additional £144m of GVA for the local economy over the 60-year evaluation period, principally through unlocked development.

“This is a positive step forward towards our plans to unlock the potential of the area by helping people to get around and improving the connections between homes and workplaces.”

Read more: Work begins on the Penwortham Bypass

The new roads also need to be built to enable the construction of the Cottam Parkway station.

What do you think about the Preston Western Distributor? Let us know in the comments below

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