£1m improvement work planned for Broughton
Proposals to improve the centre of Broughton village have been agreed by Lancashire County Council's Cabinet member for highways and transport.
The £1m plans include the removal of traffic signals at Broughton crossroads, along with the creation of narrower roads, larger footways, courtesy crossings, sections of dedicated cycle lane, and tree planting.
The changes will also see a 20mph speed limit through the village and introduce weight limits along Garstang Road between the junctions with the bypass.
This improvement work will be possible due to an estimated reduction in traffic through Broughton of up to 90% once the bypass is open.
The decision to agree these measures was taken on Wednesday 30 March by County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport.
Work on the village improvements will only start once the new bypass has opened. Construction of the bypass began earlier this year and it is scheduled to open in Spring 2017.
Marcus Hudson, planning manager for Lancashire County Council, said: "Once the bypass has opened, we'll be making changes to the roads, footways and provision for public transport in the centre of Broughton – around the crossroads and along the A6.
"The substantial reduction in traffic levels through the village will take away the need for the existing traffic lights at the crossroads and near King George's Field, so these will be removed as part of the overall improvements. A new road layout, with fewer vehicles and lower speeds, will make it much easier for people to get across the crossroads.
"The aim is to create a safer and more attractive environment in the village for road users, cyclists and pedestrians, and discourage unnecessary through-traffic.
"One of the key changes includes making a new dedicated two-way cycle track along Garstang Road, which will become part of the Guild Wheel between the village and the church.
"These changes are an important part of the overall Broughton Bypass scheme, which is a major multi-million pound project that will help journey times, improve air quality in the village and provide welcome relief to local people from decades of congestion."
By improving access to north Preston, the new bypass will also help boost the local economy and create jobs.
The £24m scheme is receiving funding through both the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal and the £251m Lancashire Growth Deal. The City Deal will help to create more than 20,000 new private sector jobs and see over 17,000 new homes built across Preston and South Ribble, as well as new school places, open green spaces and new health provision to cater for the growing population.
The construction of the Broughton bypass will also support the delivery of new housing and employment land in the wider area, including the long awaited development of the former Whittingham Hospital site, where approval has been given for a development of 650 homes and 9,000 square metres of space for business use. 150 new homes will be built in the first phase.
For more information on the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal and to watch the new fly-through video showing the route of the Broughton Bypass visit www.lancashirelep.co.uk/city-deal or follow the City Deal on Twitter @lancscitydeal.