Major road scheme gets funding go-ahead

The construction of a major road scheme on the west side of Preston has received the final funding from the government to make the scheme happen.The £200m Preston Western Distributor scheme will be constructed on the west side of the city from the M55 motorway to a new junction with Blackpool Road at Lea.It will particularly benefit areas of the city including Fulwood, Ingol, Cottam, Lea and Ashton, and the wider area including the Enterprise Zone at Warton.The road scheme also includes two new roads connecting to the current and future development of thousands of homes in the Northwest Preston Strategic Housing Site.These new roads will add additional capacity and help to reduce congestion and queuing on parts of the road network.The Preston Western Distributor Scheme is part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.This is an agreement between Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, along with central government and Homes England.Funding for these new roads is coming from the Department for Transport, City Deal, Highways England and the Lancashire Growth Deal.Some preparatory work has now started to take place, ahead of construction starting later this year.The Preston Western Distributor scheme is scheduled to open in 2023.City Deal is helping to deliver new infrastructure, new homes and more jobs. It will help to create more than 20,000 new private sector jobs and see over 17,000 new homes built across the area, along with new school places, open green spaces and new health provision to cater for the growing population.