M6-M61-M65 "Prospect Hill Interchange"

[ScottB5411]

If only.....

[marconaf]

Blimey - as a former resident of Preston and who was fascinated by it’s roads layout this is really interesing.

I’ve always labelled Preston as having masses of road infrastructure, but nowhere else is as difficult to get from any given A to a wanted B without using a dozen different roads in the process!

Its very well connected with motorways, but seemingly very difficult to get across/round to the one you want!

It feels like bits of a dozen different plans got built, none of which was used in any of the other plans hence the lack of integration.

Oh and of course, Blackpool road, which must be near the top of roads with the most number of traffic lights! I recall thirty something from Lea to the A59! I assume the remaining S4 bits are all now S2 with bus/cycle lanes which must make it harder (to be fair the S4 always seemed dangerous!).

Some of those unbuilt roads would have been incredibly useful (motorway box across the Ribble up to M55) but the one smashing through Avenham/Miller parks would have been criminal. Equally the
one up the old railway line through Briadgate.

[Bryn666]

Thanks for that. Upthread you mention a full stack on the Preston box. Could you possibly post this as well?

I might as well draw everything I have plans for. As for the stack it's not quite full access. There's no links between south and west.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SgfLN ... sp=sharing

Ringway ending where it did for several years at the west end now suddenly makes perfect sense.

[jackal]

Thanks for that. Upthread you mention a full stack on the Preston box. Could you possibly post this as well?

I might as well draw everything I have plans for. As for the stack it's not quite full access. There's no links between south and west.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SgfLN ... sp=sharing

Thanks again. The plans were a bit over the top in their full extent but the motorway box was (and is) needed.

[Bryn666]

Thanks for that. Upthread you mention a full stack on the Preston box. Could you possibly post this as well?

I might as well draw everything I have plans for. As for the stack it's not quite full access. There's no links between south and west.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SgfLN ... sp=sharing

Thanks again. The plans were a bit over the top in their full extent but the motorway box was (and is) needed.

The proposed link from the M55 to A583 will help slightly but it's a weak plan and stuffed if a bridge over the Ribble ever happens.

Agree that inner Preston really needs the roads that Truvelo has uncovered though! We should be removing most uneccessary traffic from towns and putting through traffic on quality bypass routes.

[Truvelo]

M55 to A583 looks useless if a bridge over the Ribble doesn't happen. It will simply be a local access road for new development. An extension to the A59 will make a huge difference but I agree that it could be swamped with excess traffic if not built to a higher standard. The biggest problem for me is getting between Penwortham and the M6 south. The A582 is too circuitous and the B5254 isn't much cop either. The most useful part of the 1970s proposals is the Penwortham to Walton link. This would give direct access to London Way and finally provide a decent east-west route south of the city. Unfortunately someone built a housing estate in the way at Mayfield Close which kind of scuppers any plans for this road. The current proposal is for a southwest extension of Carrwood Road which is simply going to add traffic to the B5254 rather than remove it.

The other problem is the former Ikea development at the western end of the M65 which will permanently destroy any future prospect of completing the motorway box

[Norfolktolancashire]

M55 to A583 looks useless if a bridge over the Ribble doesn't happen. It will simply be a local access road for new development. An extension to the A59 will make a huge difference but I agree that it could be swamped with excess traffic if not built to a higher standard. The biggest problem for me is getting between Penwortham and the M6 south. The A582 is too circuitous and the B5254 isn't much cop either. The most useful part of the 1970s proposals is the Penwortham to Walton link. This would give direct access to London Way and finally provide a decent east-west route south of the city. Unfortunately someone built a housing estate in the way at Mayfield Close which kind of scuppers any plans for this road. The current proposal is for a southwest extension of Carrwood Road which is simply going to add traffic to the B5254 rather than remove it.

The other problem is the former Ikea development at the western end of the M65 which will permanently destroy any future prospect of completing the motorway box

If the next recession doesn't hit soon, the plans for improving the A582 to D2 throughout will help, although not sure about the proliferation of traffic lights on the enlarged roundabouts.

The Ikea fiasco was a close call. Who would have thought that in the last few years retail buildings are no longer wanted? Well Lancashire County Council obviously did in allowing this prime junction to have an Ikea. Just like the ill fated Tithebarn retail scheme that was to be the future of the Church Street area of Preston just off the Ringway. A white elephant both would have been now!

So the ex-Ikea site (of which masses of trees have been nicely bulldozed) is going to be another unneeded industrial/retail park, probably full of fast food places. Then again with Nando's being the top spot of Preston's restaurant scene.....

[Truvelo]

I would have thought the ideal thing for the Ikea site would be a Prologis distribution park. These are springing up all over the country next to motorway junctions. But really, I would like to keep the western arm of the M65 terminal roundabout free of development for any potential completion of the motorway box.

[nearM65]

I remember hearing about that terrible accident on the M61 but I'm shock about the number of people killed what actually happened.