Lea Interchange (Preston)

Lea Interchange is a fork and roundabout junction on the western edge of Preston.

Original junction

The junction in 1969

It was built as a simple fork junction with the opening of the Ashton Bypass, called Riversway, in around 1969.

The Western motorway plan

Ultimate layout of the junction showing the Preston Western Bypass as envisaged between 1969 and the mid-1970s

At the time of opening plans were underway to complete the Preston Motorway Box which would have included the Western Bypass. This would have ran north-south through the junction which would have been dramatically expanded to cater for the increased turning movements. It's likely, although not yet proven, that the long sweeping curve of the eastbound A583 as it passes beneath the A5085 was built with the larger junction in mind. The motorway plans lingered on until the early 1990s but nothing was ever built.

Preston Western Distributor Road

In 2014 plans were approved for the Preston Western Distributor which follows the same line as the previously planned motorway northwards to M55 J2. A roundabout was built at the western end of the fork for this road which opened on 3 July 2023.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A583	Liverpool (A59), Southport (A565), (M6 South), City centre
A583	Blackpool, Lytham St Annes (A584)
A5085	(M6, M55, M61), Lancaster (A6), Longridge (B6243), Blackburn (A59, A677)
A582	(M55), (M6), (M61), Bartle (B5467)
	Blackpool (M55), The North (M6)
	The South (M6), Liverpool (M59), Manchester (M61), Blackburn (M65)