£56m bill to keep the ‘heart of Lancashire pumping’

The County Council plans to spend more than £56m on highways in the next year, as part of a bid to “keep the heart of Lancashire pumping”.

Today a dossier has been released, showing every pothole to be filled, road to be resurfaced and bridge to be repaired.

Separate districts across the county will receive a share of £23m of the cash, designed for roads in their area.

County Coun John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “Lancashire County Council’s new Labour administration has been working extremely hard on this budget.

“And despite severe government cuts, it will be spending £56.7m, which is far more than the previous administration spent, on highways and transport for the whole of Lancashire.

“As part of this overall spend, we break it down into local areas’ specific needs for the local community.

“These are broken down into maintaining roads, footpaths, filling in potholes, bridges and other programmes regarding safety that would benefit the public.

“This is all part of a £23m partnership we have with local areas, which are designated within borough zones. The £56m is the overall spend on highways across the county.”

The allocation - £1.73m of which is for Preston, £998,483 for South Ribble and £1.34m for Chorley - comes at a time when council chiefs are being forced to slash services and jobs in a bid to save £300m.

But County Coun Fillis said the investment was a top priority due to the state of the region’s roads.

He said: “At a time when we are seeing unprecedented Government cuts made to our budget and local economy in Lancashire it is more important than ever to ensure that we are working to improve the lives of ordinary people in our county and the communities in which they live.

“Our highways and transport network are the veins that keep the heart of Lancashire pumping, whether its work, education, family or social mobility it’s important and we are making a clear commitment to maintain and improve these life lines. This is the first stage of our improvement programme that will be part of the long term development in keeping with the master plans we have put together to provide the people of Lancashire with a fully integrated transport system that works for them.”

He added: “The amount of work we are carrying out, we recognise, will cause some disruption to people in their daily lives but we hope they will accept the fact that we are getting work done. It is unfortunate, but to make an omelette, we’ve got to break some eggs.”

A three-tier forum made up of Parish Councillors, Borough Councillors and County Councillors has identified which routes are most in need of work.

Some of the projects costing the most include £206,700 for a waterproofing scheme on the A59 Ringway Underpass in Preston, £143,724 to surface dress the A6 Preston Road from Hartwood Hall roundabout to Clayton Green Road, Chorley, and £86,253 to patch and surface dress Wham Lane in New Longton.

While most of the work concentrates on road resurfacing, cycle lanes and zebra crossings are also to be repainted, lighting columns replaced, footpaths resurfaced, and bridges inspected and made structurally sound.

Drainage work and flood mitigation work is also to be carried out in Garstang Road, Broughton, in various locations in Catforth and in Darkinson Lane, Lea Town.

Councillor Carl Crompton, who represents Preston Central South, said: “When you think about all the financial problems the county is facing, it’s excellent that this amount of money can be invested in vital highways improvements, but it must be remembered that this is for the whole of Lancashire. It’s a vast area and so actually it’s very little in terms of the size of the area, and we could always do with more. This work has been required as a matter of priority.

“A lot of the roads are suffering from a patchwork quilt effect where they have been dug up several times by utility companies.

“I hope that people can understand why this investment is so important, despite other cutbacks, but in politics you can never win.”

Aidan Turner-Bishop of Campaign for Better Transport Lancashire, said the announcement was “welcome news”.

He said: “It sounds like this money is going on bread and butter repairs that have been long overdue.

“It’s very good news for everyone who uses the county’s roads - motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

“It is noticeably harder now to cycle around, and I had a wallop when I crashed into a pothole along Longridge Road last Christmas. There must be many other people who have been in a similar situation.

“The footpaths are also in a dreadful state, with many people using wheelchairs and pushing prams struggling. This will be good news for all of them.”

Work in Preston

• Eastway Carriageway, microasphalt roundabout at junction with D’urton Lane £18,806

• B6243 Longridge Road, pre-patch and surface dressing from Gamull Lane to M6 bridge £32,277

• A6063 Deepdale Road, surface dressing from Carroll Street to Moor Park £51,156

• North Road Carriageway, microasphalt Lancaster Road North to Park Mill Place £31,163

• Rosemary Lane/Lea Lane, carriageway surface dressing Crown Lane to Saddle public house £35,278

• Eastway, carriageway surface dressing from Andertons Way to Watling Street Road £14,386

• Tom Benson Way, carriageway microasphalt from roundabout at junction with Tag Lane and Tanterton Hall £33,651

• Watery Lane, carriageway surface dressing from Portway to lighting column 9 £10,153

• Garstang Road, carriageway microasphalt from Savick Brook to outside 218 £40,702

• West Strand, pre-patch and surface dressing from West Strand from Marsh Lane to Watery Lane £64,778

• Tag Lane, carriageway surface dressing from Tanterton Hall Road to 312, £9,592

• Marsh Lane, pre-patch and surface dressing, length of treatment to be determined, £12,180

• Ainsdale Drive, carriageway surface dressing Lea Road to West Park Avenue £8,953

• Belton Hill area, carriageway surface dressing various to Belton Hill area £79,292

• Ingol West area including Tanterton Hall Wood, carriageway surface dressing £76,735

• Mariners Way, carriageway microasphalt from roundabout at junction of Portway and Channel Way £9,135

• Brabiner Lane, carriageway surface dressing from Cumeragh Lane to Whittingham Lane £33,251

• D’urton Lane, carriageway microasphalt from Garstang Road to Cobblers Hill £30,061

• Ford Lane, carriageway surface dressing, full length £9,622

• St Georges Road, footway inlay, St Paul’s Road to Garstang Road (South side only) £49,558

• Nook Glade, footway inlay from Preston Road to Preston Road £46,306

• Cresswell Avenue, footway inlay from Dunbar Road to Barry Avenue £44,760

• Barry Avenue Footway inlay, from Dunbar Road to Cresswell Avenue (North side only) £11,327

• Browning Road, footway inlay from Ribbleton Avenue to number 4 (East side only) £5,763

• Rydal Road, footway inlay from Ribbleton Avenue to end £15,089

• Cedar Avenue, footway inlay from West Park Avenue to Elm Avenue £29,457

• Jepps Avenue, footway inlay from Jepps Lane to number 48 £51,813

• Moss Avenue, footway inlay from West Park Avenue to Elm Avenue £26,107

• Moss Avenue, footway inlay from Elm Avenue to Aldwych Drive £9,854

• Burwood Avenue, footway inlay from Cromwell Road to End £14,216

• Holmrook Road, £23,143

• St Marks Road East, £20,707

• Basil Street, footway improvement, length of treatment to be determined £59,683

• West Park Avenue (South Side), footway improvement from Cottam Lane to West Park Lane £43,848

• St Vincent’s Road, footway improvement from Forrest Way to Sharoe Green Lane £25,283

• Preston column replacements £56,810

• Garstang Road, Broughton, drainage improvement/flood relief £45,045

• Catforth, various drainage improvements £30,030

• Darkinson Lane, Lea Town, flood mitigation project £15,015

• Ringway Underpass, waterproofing scheme £206,700

• Blackpool Road, railway maintenance painting scheme on boundary with Preston Central North and Preston East £132,800

• Deepdale Mill Street, railway maintenance painting scheme on boundary with central south east, £100,000

• Savick Brook Principal Bridge Inspection, Savick Brook, £4,200

• Mason Hill, principal bridge inspection £4,200

• St Pauls Square, footbridge principal bridge inspection on A6 Ringway, £6,400

• Various Preston footbridge repairs £22,200

• Various Preston bridge structural maintenance works £25,100

• Various Preston retaining wall structural maintenance £14,000

• Various Preston parapet risk ranking and programme investigation £1,000

• Lightfoot Railway Footbridge South, retentition payment for previous maintenance scheme, £5,000

• Oxheys Railway Bridge, Blackpool Road, retentition payment for previous maintenance scheme £20,000

• Cadley Causeway Railway Footbridge, retentition payment for previous replacement scheme £10,000

• New Mill Bridge, Eaves Lane, maintenance scheme to the bridge £40,000

• Various Preston strategic route principal bridge inspections £9,000

• Various Preston structural reviews £4,000

• Tag Lane/Woodplumpton Lane, pedestrian refuges £30,870

Work in Chorley

• Gillibrand and Miles Standish Way Link Road, surface dressing from Foxhole Road to A6 Bolton Road £133,980

• Preston Road, Low Skid resistance and preventative maintainance, from Chorley Hall Road to Clifford Street - Southbound Dual £24,360

• A6 Preston Road, surface dressing from Hartwood Hall roundabout to Clayton Green Road £143,724

• Railway Road, Adlington, surface dressing from 6 Church Street to Chorley Road £24,360

• Sandy Lane, surface dressing from Westwood Road to A675 Hoghton Road £112,056

• Riley Green Switch Road, Hoghton, surface dressing from South Ribble boundary to A674 Finnington Lane £48,720

• Belmont Road, Adlington, carriageway resurfacing, micro asphalt from Peel Street to Mayfield Drive £22,046

• Mayfield Drive, Adlington Carriageway Resurfacing, Micro Asphalt Railway Road to Belmont Road £8,282

• Highfield Road, Adlington, from carriageway resurfacing from Railway Road to Chester Place £45,919

• Park Road, Adlington, surface dressing from Chapel Street to Castle Drive £24,360

• Highfield Road North, Adlington, surface dressing from Chester Place to Fairview £6,091

• Town Lane, Heskin, footway resurfacing from Wood Lane to Barmskin Lane £22,001

• Bradley Lane, Eccleston, footway resurfacing from The Green to Entrance New Bradley Hall Farm £24,360

• Red Lane/Back Lane, Eccleston, footway resurfacing near Alder Hall £22,001

• Whinney Lane, Euxton, surface dressing from Washington Lane to Euxton Street £22,001

• The Warings, Heskin, footway resurfacing full length £53,714

• Smithy Close, Brindle, resurfacing No.17 to No.43 £18,271

• Letchworth Drive,footway resurfacing from Collingwood Road to Lightfield Drive £27,405

• Footpaths A674 Wheelton £24,360, Southdowns Road £29,232, Furness Close £6,091

• Pilling Lane, footways improvement, full length £88,500

• Park Road entrance to Astley Park £5,900

• Chorley column replacements £62,725

• Spendmore Lane, drainage improvements/flood relief £30,030

• Nell Lane, Clayton-le-Woods, investigation and remedial works, £15,015

• Town Lane, Heskin, surface water drainage system, £15,015

• Chapel Lane, Coppull, investigation works, Coppull £22,523

• Chorley District CCTV works in various locations, £7,508

• Yarrow Principal Bridge inspection, A6 Bolton Road £6,400

• Three Arches Railway, Church Lane, contribution to funding for Network Rail strengthening scheme design only £50,000

• Various Chorley footbridge structural maintainence £11,800

• Various Chorley bridge structural maintenance works £25,100

• Various Chorley retaining wall structural maintenance £14,000

• Various Chorley parapet risk ranking and programme investigation £1,000

• Hoghton New Railway bridge, priority parapet scheme, A675 Hoghton Lane £42,000

• Old Shaw Green Footbridge, replacement scheme, £32,000

• Various Chorley principal bridge inspections £9,000

• Various Chorley structural reviews and assessments £4,000

• Gillibrands Park to Ennerdale Road cycle path, £30,870

Work in South Ribble

• London Way Surface dress (skid resistance) Railway bridge to roundabout £15,835

• A6 Preston Road Surface dress low skid resistance site Boundary to Chorley, north to Church Road roundabout £14,616

• A675 Hoghton Road, patch and surface dress Gregson Lane to the boundry £73,080

• B6230 Hennel Lane, surface dress Column 12 to Chorley Road £10,597

• C242 Liverpool Road, Longton, resurface Chapel Lane to Franklands £24,360

• Wham Lane, patch and surface dress - may need an inlay toward the junction, Station Road to A582 £86,253

• Duddle Lane, Bamber Bridge, microasphalt Brownedge Lane to Chorley Road, £52,407

• Pinfold, Longton, resurface Liverpool Road to end £29,475

• Buller Avenue, Penwortham, resurface Leyland Road to unadopted section £17,052

• Greystock Close, Bamber Bridge, resurface Brindle Road to end £30,451

• Smith Street, Bamber Bridge, resurface Station Road to Lodge Close £14,007

• Leadale Green, Leyland, microasphalt full length £8,891

• Hugh Barn Lane, surface dress Wham Lane to Moss Lane £12,180

• Moss Lane, surface dress Hugh Barn Lane to old railway bridge £7,308

• Gill Lane, surface dress bypass to Wholesome Lane £25,579

• Lindle lane, Hutton, surface Pope Lane to bypass £21,924

• Evesham Avenue, footway resurface Full length £25,791

• Fitchfield Footway, resurface full length £15,474

• Heaton Close, Walton-le-Dale, footway resurface £22,040

• Manor Avenue, Penwortham, footway resurface Manor Lane to unadopted section £32,826

• Walton Park Estate, footway slurry seal full length - multiple estate roads £25,579

• Off road cycling path from Mosside into Preston - £51,984

• Todd Lane North Footway improvement, Southlands Avenue to Glendale Avenue, £29,232

• Haig Avenue surfacing outside St Mary’s School £48,720

• Cann Bridge Street zebra crossing Cann Bridge Street £17,904

• South Ribble column replacements £56,442

• Stanifield Lane drainage improvement £30,030

• Knowsley Avenue drainage work, Farrington £30,030

• Shaftsbury Avenue/Royalty Lane/Station Road flood relief £30,030

• Cop Lane, Penwortham, New Principal Bridge Inspection, £5,800

• Hargreaves Railway, footpath 26, Leyland, Principal Bridge Inspection £13,800

• Footbridge repairs/replacements, various South Ribble £5,900

• Bridge Structural Maintenance Structural maintenance works to bridges Various South Ribble £16,800

• Retaining Wall Structural Maintenance, various South Ribble £14,000

• Parapet Risk Ranking and Programme Investigation, various South Ribble £1,000

• Skew Railway (Sumpter), Leyland Road, Network Rail scheme £32,000

• Malt Kiln Farm Footbridge, Leyland, options study, £6,000

• Strategic Route Principal Bridge, various South Ribble £9,000

• Structural Reviews, various South Ribble £4,000

• Worden Lane/Langdale Road Zebra Crossing, Leyland, £30,870

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