Temporary traffic lights and road closure planned for busy Preston route

The signals will reappear on Preston Road in Grimsargh on 10th March - and remain for up to six weeks.

It marks the next phase in the replacement of Skew Bridge, a project which is due to be completed this spring. The scheme - which began last June - will remove a notorious, narrow pinch-point.

Skew Bridge has historically been just wide enough to allow two medium-sized cars to pass across it in either direction. However, larger vehicles like buses and lorries take up the entire span of the narrow route, forcing oncoming traffic to stop and wait.

The temporary lights were originally expected to be required in February to protect teams working beneath the bridge, but changes to the construction method meant they were no longer necessary.

However, the signals are now needed to create a safe working area at carriageway level while crews clear kerbing and carry out footway works on both sides of the bridge in preparation for lifting new beams into place.

Preston Road will be closed overnight on 17th March, from 10pm until 5:45am, to enable a crane to undertake that process.

After the beam installation, works will continue at road level, including demolition of the existing parapet, kerbing works, installation of a new pedestrian crossing outside the school, and reinstatement of the footways.

As the scheme progresses into April, further road‑level works – including surfacing and lining – will be carried out. Some of that activity will need to take place overnight - and Lancashire County Council says further details will be confirmed nearer the time as the programme continues to “adjust to site conditions”.

Traffic on Preston Road is expected to return to normal flow by the end of April, with remaining finishing works continuing into May.

County Cllr Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “This is a complex and challenging project involving multiple stages of structural, ground and road‑level works. As with all major engineering schemes, the programme may need to adapt as work progresses to ensure everything can be completed safely and efficiently.

"We recognise the disruption that these works have caused for local residents and road users, and we genuinely appreciate the patience people have shown.

"We are doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum and the upcoming traffic measures are essential to completing the project safely and efficiently.

"Once finished, the widened bridge will make a real difference to journey times and reliability on this busy route.”