Effects of Proposed A585 Bypass

Effects of Proposed A585 Bypass
News

Much Needed Changes To The A585 Are On The Way…

As a business located adjacent to the A585, at Fleetwood Car Centre, we couldn’t help notice that this main thoroughfare linking our town with the M55 has suffered from congestion problems for a long time.  Thankfully, work is soon due to begin to address the issue and you’ll be able to visit Fleetwood Car Centre even more easily.

The decision has been made to upgrade the A585 between Windy Harbour and Skippool as part of a £6.4million scheme to beat congestion on the Northwest’s roads.  As yet, it has not been decided whether this will involve improvements to the existing A585 or if a bypass will be constructed.

 

Reduced Traffic Is Good News For Commuters

For anyone that travels on this busy road, either option will enhance your journey.  At rush hour the A585 gets particularly busy and any commuters should find better access following the planned improvements, meaning less time queuing to get to work, to drop off children at school or to visit local businesses.   

The priorities of the scheme are to reduce journey times as well as increase safety and make the road more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians.

 

Looking At The Options

While the proposed bypass would be the most expensive option, it appears to offer more benefits in the long term when compared to simply improving the current A585.  The creation of a new bypass will obviously reduce the number of vehicles on the A585 substantially, allowing better access for local traffic and encouraging through traffic away from neighbourhood facilities.  Additionally, construction of the bypass can be carried out while the current road remains in use, so this will limit disruption to drivers and local residents.  

 

Improving The Existing Road

If  the option to upgrade the A585 is chosen, rather than the new bypass, you should expect substantial disruptions throughout the works.  Improvements to the existing road will involve making Garstang Road into a dual carriageway from Windy Road to Little Singleton with the addition of a large roundabout and may result in diversions along surrounding roads.

 

Creating A Bypass

If the bypass option is chosen, this will run from the Windy Harbour junction, south of Little Singleton and then connect to the existing road near Skippool Bridge.  The finer points have yet to be decided.

 

Will This Affect You?

If you live near the A585 or the route of the proposed bypass, you may want to take a look at the consultation material and keep abreast of developments as plans emerge.  It seems that with both options, some residents will have increased traffic noise while others will find things a little quieter.  For all users, however, getting in and out of Fleetwood is going to be easier, and if this is a route that you drive, walk or cycle along, you’ll find your journey much improved.

 

When Will This Happen?

Despite having secured funding, no firm decision has yet been made as to which option will be implemented, so, at the time of writing, schedules are not in place.  However, as with any major construction work of this type, it’s going to take some time.  It’s thought that for a bypass, construction will begin in March 2020 and will be completed in 2 years, with an estimated completion time of 18 months if the A585 road improvement option is chosen.

Hopefully, the faster journey times and other improvements will be worth the wait and any inconvenience we experience during the construction of the new roads.

 

Business As Usual At Fleetwood Car Centre

We promise that the works won’t affect access to Fleetwood Car Centre, so you can still drop in to take a look our latest range of used cars at competitive prices or give us a call on 01253 770073. Once the roadworks are complete, you’ll find visiting us a breeze!

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