The public are being asked for their views on an "outer ringroad" joining the M55 with the M6 by snaking round the west side of Preston through South Ribble.

The road, around eight miles long, would stretch from Lostock Hall to a new junction two of the M55 at Catforth. A bridge would need to be built across the River Ribble and greenbelt land would need to be carved up to make way for the link.

Plans for the so-called "Preston Box" – or the Preston southern and western bypass – were shelved in the early 1990s when the M6 was widened to four lanes.

The resurrected plans – still at an early stage – have received a mixed reaction from Lancashire's communities, with some vowing to repeat the staunch opposition mounted 16 years ago.

Coun Margaret Smith, leader of South Ribble Council and representitive for New Longton and Hutton East, said: "Opposition was huge and the residents themselves formed a committee which was a very effective committee. There would be an equal amount of opposition to it as there was last time."

And Coun Jon Hesketh, who represents Longton and Hutton West at South Ribble Council, said: "There are certain people that would like to have it but it's only normal the people who live in the area would have the same objections as last time.

"There would be quite a lot of opposition."

But Coun Ken Hudson, leader of Preston Council, said: "It would benefit Preston tremendously because it would ensure there was a good flow of traffic to Southport and Liverpool. This motorway box was always seen as being very strategic as far as Preston traffic was concerned.

"It's still in its embryonic stage.

"There's no specific funding in place and it's not in the transport plan but I think this is a method of getting it in the transport plan."

It comes in the week transport secretary Geoff Hoon confirmed plans to invest an extra £1bn in major transport projects next year to stimulate the economy. A list of projects due to benefit does not include any in Lancashire.

But an announcement is due in the New Year about opening the hard-shoulder to traffic on around 500 lane miles of Britain's motorways.
The Preston ringroad is part of the Central Lancashire Preferred Core Strategy which outlines the planning issues facing Preston, South Ribble and Chorley until 2026.

County Coun Matthew Tomlinson, cabinet member for sustainable development at Lancashire County Council, said the county council's top road priority was the Ormskirk bypass.

He added: "What we're concerned about is enabling people to move around Central Lancashire by whatever means they can."

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