End to traffic hell in sight?

Construction work to ease traffic at pinch points along the A585 from Windy Harbour to Skippool is expected to take place in 2019 and 2020.

In a letter to Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP Paul Maynard, Andrew Jones, under secretary at the Department for Transport, said it is expected that government plans to tackle traffic will be finalised in the summer.

A subsequent parliamentary meeting with Mr Jones yesterday revealed that a route has been decided and that Highways England will be talking with local people about the plans in just a few months time.

Mr Maynard said: “The main question for a long time has been what route the road is going to take from the River Wyre.

“The ministers confirm that Highways England is almost ready to start engagement with local people about their plans and they will then be able to take things from there.

“Highways England is expecting the renovation work to start in the 2019/20 financial year.”

The Government’s £50m pledge to solve traffic problems in the Wyre area were announced in December 2014 as part of the Department for Transport’s Road Investment Strategy to improve travel.

The development comes as good news for A585 commuters, whose travel plans have been badly affected by almost constant traffic jams along the road at numerous times.

Journeys were further disrupted by the installation of four-way signals in March and flood defence work in October, which caused significant hold-ups.

Mr Maynard added: “We realise that this seems a long way off and that the work plans have taken many years to achieve.

“Anyone who has to use the A585 frequently like I do will be frustrated by the stop-start traffic. Residents who live near the road have to put up with appalling air quality and noise as a result of the standing traffic.

“Now the plans are fully within Highways England’s spending plans and I remain confident that the improvements will go ahead.”