Commuters across Preston have been left in a jam over recent weeks with a noticeable spike in traffic. This has been put down to a ‘Perfect Storm’ of roadworks on many of the key roads in and around the city.

With capacity works on the M6 around the M55 junction running beyond schedule (now anticipated to finish in January) and major works beginning around the city’s roads as a result of the successful ‘City Deal’ bid, there has been a backlash in traffic.

Councillor Neil Darby said “It is a shame that the M6 works were not allowed to finish before the new works to deliver the City Deal were begun, however the overall outcome will be a much improved network for commuters. I hope we learn the lessons from the recent disruption to minimise this as the City Deal works continue.”

County Councillor Bill Winlow has been in talks with the Highways Department at Lancashire County Council to improve traffic in the future. Highways have agreed to retime the traffic lights on Ringway to improve traffic flow. “In the future it is likely that we will need an underpass for the city centre,” Bill remarks, “to relieve the building traffic.”