Popular Guild Wheel in Preston returns to original route as temporary diversion is removed

Lancashire County Council have confirmed that a temporary diversion to the Guild Wheel on the west side of Preston has been removed, allowing it to return to its original route.

Why was the Guild Wheel diverted?

The diversion was put in place in January 2020 to allow residents to safely enjoy the popular cycling and walking route during construction of the new Preston Western Distributor road scheme.

Which parts of Guild Wheel were affected?

The change affected part of the route near the bridge over Blackpool Road, and saw a diversion run along a section of the construction site before joining up to its existing route along Savick Brook.

Why has the diversion ended?

Construction around this section of the distributor road scheme has now reached a point when the Guild Wheel can now revert back to its original route.

The only change is that it will now cross one of the new access roads, which will be manned during working hours.

What has the council said?

County Councillor Charlie Edwards, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at Lancashire County Council, said: "In the Guild Wheel's 10th anniversary year, it was an important milestone for us to return to the original and beloved route.

"The teams are working at pace to get this new road opened and so to end the diversion of the Guild Wheel is another big step in the project.

"There'll be signs up to tell people about the change. We're really grateful to everyone for bearing with us while these works are carried out.”