A582 and Leyland Road updated proposals
The A582 in South Ribble is one of central Lancashire's busiest roads suffering significant congestion at peak times.
New plans to improve journeys on the A582 between Preston and the M65 and provide better provision for buses, walking and cycling along the corridor between Preston and Lostock Hall were discussed at our Cabinet in March 2024.
The aim is to reduce congestion along the A582 Major Roads Network to support economic growth, provide better access to existing employment sites and support the delivery of new homes already identified within South Ribble's Local Plan.
These plans would support all road users and seek to reduce transport related carbon emissions and improve air quality by the provision of bus network improvements and enhanced walking and cycling facilities along Leyland Road and Fishergate Hill to enable more sustainable travel choices for local trips.
It's also proposed to include the use of new and advanced technology to manage traffic, prioritise buses and provide passenger information using real time information.
Map of the A582 major roads network junctions and route
Current progress
Ecologists are going out on site to do surveys in order to understand what exists currently and what mitigation could be needed as a result of the proposed works. This information may result in some changes to design, with new planting and landscape mitigation.
What happens next
The opportunity to deliver the scheme would involve a funding bid to the Government's Major Road Network (MRN) funding programme.
The county council's Cabinet on 7 March 2024 agreed to a bid for funding to the government's Major Roads Network programme towards the cost of delivering these plans. Work is underway to prepare the submission of an outline business case.
The public will be invited to comment on plans showing more detail of the proposals in Summer 2024, as part of the design process. We will update this page with more information, about how to get involved at the appropriate time.
About the proposals
The A582 is a key route across South Ribble, running between the M65 junction at Cuerden to the 'Tank' Roundabout next to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Farington, then continuing towards Penwortham and onto Preston.
The focused scheme would involve reconfiguring several major junctions and technology upgrades along the route of the A582 MRN to reduce congestion.
It would also include complementary improvements on the bus and active travel route between Preston and Lostock Hall, supporting sustainable travel choices for local trips.
These revised proposals reflect changes in travel habits, including post-Covid flexible working arrangements, since the original scheme was set out and the publication of the Government's Transport Decarbonisation Plan in 2021.
Creating a dual carriageway
The A582 scheme had previously proposed the creation of a dual carriageway along the A582. The creation of a dual carriageway is still an aspiration.
These latest proposals will help by providing additional capacity along the road, while still working towards the potential for dualling in the future. The new design has been developed to fit with both the existing road and any future dualling proposal.
Find out more information about the new proposals in the Cabinet report.