A Preston ‘rat run’ road is to be closed until just before Christmas.

Work on a sub station by Electricity North West in Henrietta Street means St Mary’s Street has also been closed off for safety reasons.

The street, connecting New Hall Lane and Ribbleton Lane, is regularly used by drivers trying to beat the queues.

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Henrietta Street has been closed since April this year but engineers now need the space in St Mary Street to be able to work too.

A spokesperson for Electricity North West said: “Teams of engineers are currently working on a £2m project which will see numerous electrical assets upgraded at a substation on Henrietta Street. The work taking place will ensure a safe and reliable supply is maintained to more than 5,000 properties in the area.

“For safety reasons, due the limited space on Henrietta Street, a closure is in place on St Mary’s Street so vehicles and equipment can operate safely.

“All of the work was agreed with the local council in advance and we expect to re-open St Mary’s Street in December once a large proportion of the work has been completed.

“In the new year, teams will resume work on Henrietta Street and expect to be completed by March 2025.”

The closure of St Mary’s Street began in mid-August and is listed to run until 20 December this year.

All businesses in St Mary’s Street are open as usual and are accessible from the Ribbleton Lane end, there is no vehicle or pedestrian access from the New Hall Lane end.

It comes as Lancashire County Council is due to undertake a month of traffic light upgrades at the busy Ribbleton Lane and Skeffington Road crossroads with temporary lights in place for most of September.

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