A586
| A586 | |||||||||||||
| Location Map ( geo) | |||||||||||||
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| From: | Churchtown (SD487430) | ||||||||||||
| To: | Blackpool (SD305363) | ||||||||||||
| Via: | Poulton-le-Fylde | ||||||||||||
| Distance: | 13.6 miles (21.9 km) | ||||||||||||
| Meets: | A6, B5293, A585, B5260, A588, B5268, A587, B5264, B5124, A583, A584 | ||||||||||||
| Former Number(s): | A587 | ||||||||||||
| Old route now: | A6, A585, A588 | ||||||||||||
| Primary Destinations | |||||||||||||
| Highway Authorities | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Counties | |||||||||||||
| Route outline (key) | |||||||||||||
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The A586 connects the A6 with Blackpool and was the main road into town from the north-west before the M55 provided a faster alternative from the southbound A6/M6.
Route
The route starts on the Garstang bypass, the A6, at Churchtown (although it originally started in the centre of Garstang and ran along part of what is now the A6 to get to its current eastern end). It is the back route many Fylde people use to travel towards the Lake District and is popular with the motorcycle fraternity.
From Churchtown the road travels west through low-lying rural lands and through St Michael's on Wyre where it crosses the ancient River Wyre bridge, one of only three to cross the river downstream from here for the many miles before it reaches the sea. About a third of a mile after crossing the bridge and passing the parish church (on the left) the speed limit increases from 30 to 50 mph and the S2 road continues past the Ecclestons, becoming a little twisty for a while before it joins the realigned A585 (Garstang New Road) for a mile from the Windy Harbour crossroads.
Leaving the A585 by a Shell garage at Singleton crossroads, the A586 continues its westward run, passing through the respectable suburbs of Poulton-le-Fylde (one of Lancashire few ancient market towns), and then turning a little more towards the south-west as it heads on towards Blackpool. A roundabout junction with the A587 marks the entry into the seaside town's extensive suburbs, through which our road threads its way before eventually getting lost in the town-centre one-way system and coming out onto the A584 Blackpool seafront at Talbot Square, the haunt of numerous pubs. The final section of road into Blackpool was originally the A587 before that road was rerouted to the east of town.
Improvements Timeline
The table shows the improvements to the A586 starting from the Blackpool end which ties in the chronology of the improvements.
| Location | County | Date | Distance | Notes | Location Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoohill, Blackpool to Poulton-le-Fylde | Lancashire | 1923 | 1.6 miles (2.6 km) | Blackpool – Garstang New Road Stage 1. Opened October 1923. Cost £64,546. | |
| Poulton-le-Fylde to Little Singleton | Lancashire | 1926 | 1.8 miles (2.9 km) | Blackpool – Garstang New Road Stage 2. Opened on 9 June 1926 by Alderman J. Aspell, Chairman on the Main Roads and Bridges Committee of the County Council. Width was 60 feet with a 30 foot carriageway. Cost £101,161 since it included bridges over Main Dyke and the railway. Credit was given to Peter Schofield, County Surveyor, for completing the scheme so much under budget that they could continue with stage 3. | |
| Little Singleton to Windy Harbour Crossroads | Lancashire | 1927 | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | Blackpool – Garstang New Road Stage 3. Opened on 19 October 1927 without ceremony. It bypassed “Hell Hole Corner”. Width was 60 feet with a 30 foot carriageway. Cost £25,000. This completed the new road section from Blackpool to Windy Harbour and connected to the widened section going eastwards. Later became a A585 A586 multiplex. | |
| Great Eccleston Bypass | Lancashire | 1939 | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | Opened on 11 May 1939 without ceremony. It was 80 feet wide with a 30 foot carriageway, two cycle tracks and two footpaths. Cost £34,522. | |
| St. Michael’s on Wyre | Lancashire | 1928 | 0.3 miles (0.5 km) | Straightening to the west of the village. Opened during the weekend of 6 / 7 October 1928. | |
| Churchtown Bypass | Lancashire | 1936 | 0.3 miles (0.4 km) | Work had started by February 1936 and in April 1936 there is mention of the despoilation of the beautiful Avenue approaching the village from the east. The plan in 1931 was for a 60 foot width with 30 foot carriageway and two 6 foot footpaths. Ainspool Bridge at the western end was to be widened at the same time. |
