Improvements to Skew Bridge and Preston Road

We are carrying out work to improve Grimsargh Skew Bridge and nearby junctions on Preston Road.

This project will improve journey times for everyone and is being funded as part of our Bus Service Improvement Plan to make public transport more reliable. 

Planned work

• Widening the bridge so that all vehicles, including larger vehicles such as buses and HGVs, can easily cross the bridge in both directions without having to give way. 
• Installing a pedestrian crossing near Grimsargh St Michael’s Primary School to ensure people can cross safely. 
• Building two mini-roundabouts at the junctions with Ribblesdale Drive and Whittingham Lane to better manage the flow of traffic and improve residential access. 

View a detailed plan of the improvements

Traffic management

We recognise the importance of Preston Road to local travel, and are working to minimise the need for road closures and temporary traffic lights.
Temporary traffic lights are currently in place over the bridge for safety as the footbridge including its parapet (the wall at the side) has been removed to make way for the widening to be installed. There are also temporary lights at the junction of Whittingham Lane to enable work to install a mini-roundabout – this work is nearing completion.

Work to date (updated Thursday 21 August)

June/July

Site compound set up at St Michael's Church, and preparations for work to begin.

July

Start of work on the bridge with the demolition of the western footway and preparations to install the new widened section.

August

Work is currently ongoing to install a new mini-roundabout at the junction of Whittingham Lane and Preston Road. Work is also ongoing to reroute drainage beneath the bridge away from the new footings which will support the bridge widening.

Future work which may affect your journey

We are currently working with our contractor to programme the following pieces of work. We have had to change the original schedule as excavations beneath the bridge have found drainage chambers which were not recorded on historic plans, resulting in additional work being needed. We will update this website and write to residents in Grimsargh when a new schedule has been agreed.

Overnight road closures Tue 26 August - Fri 29 August

Preston Road will be closed overnight for work to apply a new surface and road markings at the junction of Whittingham Lane and Preston Road.

There will also be a number of further overnight road closures needed on Preston Road for some activities which can only be done when the road is closed.

Installation of new mini-roundabout at the Ribblesdale Drive junction

Temporary traffic lights will be needed for safety while this work is ongoing.

Installation of the new bridge widening

Preston Road will need to be closed for up to 1-week. The concrete beams needed to extend the bridge are being pre-cast to allow for quick installation.

Diversions

Vehicles

During the closure of Preston Road a signed diversion suitable for all vehicles, including HGVs, will be in place via Preston Road (B6242), James Towers Way (A6), Whittingham Lane (B5269), and Cumeragh Lane (B5269).

Local traffic is expected to use a shorter route via Whittingham Lane (C359), Haighton Green Lane (C349), D’urton Lane (C349), Eastway (B6241), Andertons Way (B6242), Bluebell Way (B6242), Longridge Road/Preston Road (B6243) and vice versa.

Local drivers can use shorter routes.

Pedestrians

Pedestrian access along Preston Road will stay open via the Skew Bridge footbridge throughout the work, though there may be short-term diversions.

Pedestrian routes to St Michael's Primary School from the car park of Grimsargh St Michael’s Church will remain largely unchanged, while those under the bridge will be redirected to a temporary controlled crossing next to the school. This will later be upgraded to become the new permanent pedestrian crossing. 

Public transport

To maintain public transport connections when Preston Road is closed during the October school half-term break, a shuttle bus will operate between Grimsargh and Longridge, timed to connect with a service which will run between Longridge and Preston via Whittingham. A further service will operate between Preston Bus Station and Redscar.

We will update this website with a link to the full details and service timetables when available nearer the time of the closure.

Contact us

If you have any queries please email grimsarghbridge@lancashire.gov.uk or call our customer service centre on 0300 123 6780.