Second stage of work to upgrade traffic signals in Preston is due to start soon
The second stage of a scheme to replace traffic lights at key junctions in Preston is set to begin on 2 March.
These works involve the replacement of traffic lights that are coming to the end of their life and are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Some of the equipment at this latest site is believed to have been in use since the 1970s.
The upcoming works, at A59 Ring Way/Stanley St junction with Church Street, adjacent to HMP Preston, are expected to take six to eight weeks.
To minimise disruption, some of the most disruptive elements of works will take place overnight from Sunday to Thursday between 7pm and 6am. This will include some single overnight closures on Church Street, with appropriate diversions in place.
The intention is that the existing permanent traffic lights will remain in use for most of the works, however a period of temporary traffic light operation will be required towards the end of the project to enable specific activities to be completed safely. It will also allow the old signal equipment to be decommissioned and new equipment be installed. This later phase will be kept as short as possible.
The exact amount of time to undertake the work depends on the conditions encountered once the ground is broken to begin installing the new below ground infrastructure. As well as replacing the existing signal equipment, the existing signal-controlled pedestrian facilities will be updated to bring them up to the latest standards.
The first of the year's major works at A6 Garstang Road junction with Moor Lane, which began at the start of January, saw the lights replaced along with improvements to pedestrian facilities. Works at this location were completed on 20 February. Further works to replace the traffic lights at the adjacent junction between Garstang Rd, Aqueduct St and St George's Rd are due to start from 3 March.
Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said:
"We have completed the first of this year's major traffic light replacement works slightly ahead of schedule thanks to the hard work of all parties involved, particularly given the conditions faced during the works.
"It is important for Lancashire County Council to carefully plan these works and undertake these before the situation becomes critical, such as hardware or cable failure. By taking proactive action, we hope to reduce disruption for years or decades to come.
"We're also going to bring the existing controlled pedestrian facilities at these locations up to modern standard and make them more accessible for blind and partially sighted users.
"This is a significant investment in new technology and is part of an ongoing programme to renew outdated traffic light assets across the county.
"We would like to thank people for their continued patience throughout these essential works and to allow additional time for their journeys and/or seek alternative routes where possible. "