Closed-off link road could be shut forever

Fylde MP Mark Menzies at the Moss Road near Peel

Transport chiefs said they won’t pay the £350,000 to fix Wild Lane, known as the Moss Road, which has been partially shut since August.

County Hall bosses insist they are in discussions with developers Kensington to start work early on a mooted link road for the planned Queensway housing development.

But the situation is currently at stalemate – meaning Wild Lane will stay shut indefinitely.

Today, Fylde MP Mark Menzies said: “It’s time for the talking to stop and for people to do something about it.”

It comes as Lancashire County Council announced £1.25m has been set aside to repair Fylde’s crumbling roads – but nothing for Wild Lane.

Mr Menzies, who said the repair work was at the bottom of the council’s “to-do” list, added: “I have been walking down there and for some time have been prepared to accept the council’s version of events – up to a point.

“But it has gone beyond where it is acceptable – to me, to Fylde Council and to Fylde residents.”

Mr Menzies said he has written to the county council, alongside Fylde Council leader Coun David Eaves, for an update to the situation.

He added: “We’ve asked for two things – is there a way of getting a section of the road re-opened again, and with some creative thinking, can we can get the new road constructed as soon as possible?”

The road was shut to drivers in August on police advice following several accidents.

Phil Barrett, Lancashire County Council’s director of highways, said: “Wild Lane has been closed to through traffic for several months because of structural problems below the road. However, for some years there have been plans to construct a new link road into Lytham, running parallel to Wild Lane and financed by the property developers Kensington. Rather than spend a considerable sum on repairing Wild Lane only then to replace it with the new link road, the county council and Kensington have been discussing the possibility of bringing forward the construction of the new road, either in part or fully. Discussions are still in progress but we hope that agreement can be reached. Until then, Wild Lane will remain closed.”

Kensington Homes declined to comment on the issue.