Road closure could ‘speed up’ M55 link

County Coun Paul Hayhurst, who represents Fylde West, said the planned closure of Division Lane, between Midgeland Road and Wild Lane, could help in building a long-awaited road to the motorway.

He added councillors were meeting with Fylde MP Mark Menzies in a bid to push the scheme forward, after it received £2m of government funding earlier this summer.

He said: “We are all disappointed at having to close Division Lane, but there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to get a new link road built.

“A lot of parties are talking, and hopefully we will have news in the near future.

“The closure of Division Lane and Wild Lane – if anything it is bringing forward the hopes of a new route.

“The new road is a priority.”

Lancashire County Council confirmed on Friday it had applied for an 18-month closure order to fix Division Lane, but expected work to be finished by the end of September. The route is due to close to motorists on August 18, after concerns about the safety of the carriageway.

The northernmost section of the moss road was closed off in August last year due to the state of the road, with a repair bill set at £350,000.

Commuters could drive on to Division Lane, on to Midgeland Road, before completing the diversion on School Road.

But with the increase in traffic, transport chiefs at Lancashire County Council said it has taken its toll on the state of the road.

St Annes Coun Tony Ford warned the estimated six-week closure could have an impact on traffic, with only two routes now open to drivers between Blackpool and south Fylde – Clifton Drive North and the Queensway.

He added: “I do not think the situation is ideal.

“All we need is an accident or roadworks and the town really will be clogged up.

“We have seen it happen in the past, where people can’t get to Blackpool.”