Broughton Bypass to open in October

The Broughton Bypass is set to open to vehicles on Thursday 5 October 2017

Some work will still be needed following the official opening, including landscaping, but the road will be fully open for public use.

The road had been due to open early next year, with additional time programmed in the construction schedule in case of unforeseen circumstances. Good progress has been made thanks to the number of construction staff on site and good weather.

Construction of the £32m bypass is predicted to reduce the number of vehicles travelling through the centre of Broughton village by up to 90% and improve journey times in and out of Preston.

It will also create better connectivity to the wider road network, with benefits to the development and economic growth of the local area.

County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE, leader of the county council, said: “We’re pleased that this landmark project is about to open. Living in north Preston I’m well aware of the delays that people have experienced over the years and the need for this new road.

“The bypass will bring much-needed congestion relief to the village itself and the wider area. It is expected to improve travel times, while helping to reduce pollution through the village due to standing traffic.

“It’s been a long time since a bypass was first talked about, and we’re pleased that it’s now finally happened.”

Once the road has opened, work can begin on improvements along the A6 through Broughton village, including early work to tackle flooding issues in the village.

Construction of the road has been carried out by HOCHTIEF, on behalf of Lancashire County Council, as a key part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, and the £251m Lancashire Growth Deal.

Jim Carter, chair of City Deal, said: “This is a major milestone in our work to unlock the potential of this area, helping people to get around, creating new jobs and economic growth.

“Our City Deal aims to transform the area by reducing congestion and helping people to get around. Good connectivity is vital for businesses to grow and prosper.

“As well as reducing travel times for business and creating new commercial opportunities, the new bypass also supports new housing sites around Broughton and Whittingham, providing new homes for people and their families in the local area.”

Through the centre of Broughton itself, changes will be made to the carriageway, footways and Guild Wheel to improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, and encourage vehicles to use the new bypass. A 20mph speed limit is planned through Broughton village itself.

The opening of the bypass will also see the immediate closure of D’Urton Lane at its eastern end to remove any rat running and improve conditions for Guild Wheel users.

Speaking about the change to the construction schedule, County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “It was important to us that we could get this road open. When I became the cabinet member a few months ago, I wanted to talk to HOCHTIEF and our own highways team to see if we could speed things up at all. Thanks to their hard work we’ve now been able to do this.”

Recent work on site has included noise-reducing barriers along the route, drainage, bridge work, earthworks and carriageway construction.

Matt Mosley, HOCHTIEF Project Manager said, “The HOCHTIEF team has worked hard to complete this project at the earliest opportunity, given the unforeseen issues encountered on this build only contract. The collaborative approach we’ve developed with Lancashire County Council’s project team from the outset has enabled issues to be resolved promptly to achieve an earlier completion date than expected. We thank the local community and road users for their patience while the bypass work has taken place.”

The City Deal will help to create more than 20,000 new private sector jobs and see over 17,000 new homes built across the area, along with new school places, open green spaces and new health provision to cater for the growing population.

For more information, follow City Deal on Twitter @lancscitydeal, visit www.lancashirelep.co.uk/city-deal or email [email protected].