Two-year Bartle Lane closure causing frustration in Cottam

Bartle Lane in Lower Bartle was closed to all traffic in the early summer of 2020

Bartle Lane, at its junction with Lea Lane, has been closed off by Lancashire County Council since 2020, to create the new Bartle Lane Bridge that will go over the Preston Western Distributor.

It was expected to re-open this summer, although due to delays, works will be completed later in the year, which has caused issues for residents of lower Bartle.

Residents have expressed dismay as to why the lane closure is still in place, noting that transportation has become difficult for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and horse riders who have to follow a ‘lengthy’ diversion down Lea Lane, Sidgreaves Lane, Hoyles Lane and Sandy Lane in Cottam.

One person said the work should’ve been carried out in a strict time frame by contractors involved in the Western Distributor works:

“The road finally got to the stage shown above weeks ago, but Costain stubbornly refused to get the road reopened to all traffic and ease the burden on the local community.

“Why it has taken this long to build a short length of single carriageway and bridge is astounding.”

County Councillor Charlie Edwards, Cabinet member for highways and transport at Lancashire County Council, said: “Bartle Lane is scheduled to reopen later this year.

“We are aware that this closure has led to some increased journeys for people and thank people for their patience. We are working hard to reduce the disruption during construction.

“Construction work is continuing well on the Preston Western Distributor. This is a significant project with several areas of work taking place at the same time, which can lead to changes to the programme to ensure that we can continue on schedule overall.”