Proposed Preston Western Bypass

[and1969]

Signage on the M55 indicates that the new road will indeed be numbered as the A582.

Regarding the vast factory on Strand Road, this was an GEC Alstom factory making locomotives - not sure what they do now. On the other side of the road, where there are now residential homes, shops and a gym, there was another large workshop of similar appearance belonging to British Aerospace and that closed in about 1992. According to a story that can occasionally be heard in Preston pubs, at one time the two plants must have been part of the same enterprise because some BAE shop floor workers were complaining about a loss of compressed air. Upon investigation, a pipe was discovered going into a wall and under the road, which was blocked off. Shortly after, the Alstom workers complained they had no compressed air.

[wrinkly]

And before it was GEC it was Dick, Kerr, who had a prizewinning women's football team a century ago, before the FA started trying to suppress women's football.

[traffic-light-man]

Not sure this has been mentioned yet - PWDR is set to open today.

[Bryn666]

Not sure this has been mentioned yet - PWDR is set to open today.

They kept that quiet. That's annoying as I'd hoped to go see the opening day. Oh well, will have to try tomorrow.

[traffic-light-man]

They kept that quiet. That's annoying as I'd hoped to go see the opening day. Oh well, will have to try tomorrow.

Yes, I'm surprised it didn't get out earlier, though having said that, I had heard it was going around as a rumour on local Facebook groups by the end of last week.

I'm torn between taking a trip up later on today or waiting until I have a legitimate reason to be in the area at some point through the rest of the week!

[LiamPR1]

It did open today with the Minister for Roads, local worthies, and Preston's finest weather greeting them. It's officially "Edith Rigby Way" wrth two other new roads ("feeders" I suppose) given similar names of local historical figures.

I'm a new member so I don't know if I can post photos etc.

Here's a link to the local story about it:

https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2023/07/p ... rive-down/

[Big L]

It did open today with the Minister for Roads, local worthies, and Preston's finest weather greeting them. It's officially "Edith Rigby Way" wrth two other new roads ("feeders" I suppose) given similar names of local historical figures.

I'm a new member so I don't know if I can post photos etc.

Here's a link to the local story about it:

https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2023/07/p ... rive-down/

If you have photos please post them.

Hit “attachments” below the box where you are writing a post and add them there. Limit 3 per post, not sure if there is a file size limit.

[LiamPR1]

Thanks @BigL, they would have only been photos from articles, third sources etc, so perhaps not mine to share anyway!

I'm on Waze and have noticed some users going up the new road this afternoon

[The Deuce]

Looks like we have two new B roads with this new scheme opening
B5467 William Young Way the road developed as East West link road
B5468 Avice Pimblett Way the road developed as Cottam link road

[A303Chris]

What I hadn't appreciated was the lane drop, westbound at the new junction as shown on the picture in this article.

Do they expect that much traffic to come on at Broughton and leave at the new junction 2. Given the lane drops at Junction 1, you have effective made a long length just two lanes with a long slip road between the two. Seems it may have a detrimental impact on the M55.

[SouthWest Philip]

Presumably the sections of the A59, A5072 and A583 between the two halves of the A582 have been renumbered as part of the A582 upon completion of this new road?

[Peter Freeman]

Given the lane drops at Junction 1, you have effective made a long length just two lanes with a long slip road between the two.

I wouldn't quite put it like that, but yes, that lane drop is ridiculous, no matter what proportion of M55 westbound traffic exits to the A582. Fortunately, eastbound escaped that fate, and westbound is easily retrievable (no bridge abutment problem has been mischievously built in).

[Bryn666]

What I hadn't appreciated was the lane drop, westbound at the new junction as shown on the picture in this article.

Do they expect that much traffic to come on at Broughton and leave at the new junction 2. Given the lane drops at Junction 1, you have effective made a long length just two lanes with a long slip road between the two. Seems it may have a detrimental impact on the M55.

When the full route is built that lane drop will become important as it'll be a major turning to get to the south west side of Preston. The westbound M55 never has traffic problems in the same way the eastbound does.

[Bryn666]

Presumably the sections of the A59, A5072 and A583 between the two halves of the A582 have been renumbered as part of the A582 upon completion of this new road?

Sort of. Some signs have been changed but very few reference any numbers at all presumably as a future proof for if and when the Ribble bridge is built.

[Peter Freeman]

When the full route is built that lane drop will become important as it'll be a major turning to get to the south west side of Preston. The westbound M55 never has traffic problems in the same way the eastbound does.

Why will that lane drop "become important"? Agreed that the A582 will eventually become a busy route, and agreed that the M55 is hardly ever** stressed (the only evident congestion is peak-time only, and mild, and it's at and near to the M6 directional-T). However, what advantage is there in the lane drop? What detriment would there be in leaving the lane there, even though most of its flow might exit?

It would be understandable if the J2 wb diverge was a proper 2-lane exit, with M55 lane 2 also invited to leave (with, in terms of AU practise, an advance sign reading 'left lane must exit'). However, that is unlikely to ever be the case, since the exit leads only to a roundabout 'give way', and that layout cannot deal with a full 2-lane free-flow. The 2-lane slip will mainly function as occasional stacking space.

To me this seems to be just another case of using up some white paint.

** Knowing Blackpool (the current home of my sister), I imagine there may be an annual stress on the M55 at Illuminations time, and that's only more reason to retain the 3rd lane.

[AAndy]

Are the roadworks/restrictions around the bottom of Fishergate hill in Preston linked in anyway?

[Bryn666]

When the full route is built that lane drop will become important as it'll be a major turning to get to the south west side of Preston. The westbound M55 never has traffic problems in the same way the eastbound does.

Why will that lane drop "become important"? Agreed that the A582 will eventually become a busy route, and agreed that the M55 is hardly ever** stressed (the only evident congestion is peak-time only, and mild, and it's at and near to the M6 directional-T). However, what advantage is there in the lane drop? What detriment would there be in leaving the lane there, even though most of its flow might exit?

It would be understandable if the J2 wb diverge was a proper 2-lane exit, with M55 lane 2 also invited to leave (with, in terms of AU practise, an advance sign reading 'left lane must exit'). However, that is unlikely to ever be the case, since the exit leads only to a roundabout 'give way', and that layout cannot deal with a full 2-lane free-flow. The 2-lane slip will mainly function as occasional stacking space.

To me this seems to be just another case of using up some white paint.

** Knowing Blackpool (the current home of my sister), I imagine there may be an annual stress on the M55 at Illuminations time, and that's only more reason to retain the 3rd lane.

The westbound M55 is never in my experience busy, so the lane drop is not a problem, and it will reflect the change in traffic patterns when western Preston is given the thousands of new homes and the completed link road. The fact westbound also has MS4s tells you that this is seen as a strategic movement in the making. Illuminations traffic is always worse eastbound; I have spent an hour on the M55 at midnight historically because everything is funnelled back onto the motorway whereas inbound traffic splits via numerous routes.

[Bryn666]

Are the roadworks/restrictions around the bottom of Fishergate hill in Preston linked in anyway?

These are part of the active travel and public realm improvements in the city centre. A new cycle route is being constructed alongside Ringway and will be transformational in opening up the city centre to people who aren't driving.

[AAndy]

Are the roadworks/restrictions around the bottom of Fishergate hill in Preston linked in anyway?

These are part of the active travel and public realm improvements in the city centre. A new cycle route is being constructed alongside Ringway and will be transformational in opening up the city centre to people who aren't driving.

Ah, thanks. Its been a bit of a bottleneck recently for traffic...though I've only been using it to see the progress of whatever was going on .
It will be good to use the new link road to the M55 instead of the A6 area from there too.

[Mapper89062]

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/transport/co ... nd-4209684

The new junction is complete and will be officially opened this weekend. This cyclops junction differs from the other ones so far in that part of the cycle track is two-way to allow a more direct route between some of the cycle paths.