New roads scheme getting ever closer

Highways chiefs say an application for the £110m Western Distributor and East-West Link is set to go before County Hall’s planning committee next month. And the project manager says the authority will be pulling out all the stops to get construction underway as soon as possible.

“Work is continuing to develop the plans for the Preston Western Distributor (PWD), which would include a new junction on the M55, connecting the western side of Preston to the Blackpool Road and Riversway junction,” said Phil Wilson from the City Deal infrastructure team.

“A planning application has been submitted and is scheduled to be on the agenda for July’s planning committee. We are making every effort to start construction work on the new road as soon as possible.”

The project includes the 4.3km Western Distributor dual carriageway running from Riversway/Blackpool Road at Clifton to the M55 near Bartle. It also comprises a 3.4km East-West Link Road (EWLR) which will connect the proposed and existing housing areas of North West Preston. And there will be a 0.8knmCottam Link Road joining the PWD with Cottam Way.

The roads are being built to support almost 5,000 new homes being constructed in the north west corner of the city, giving direct access to the motorway network and to the Enterprise Zone at Warton.