Key step to long-awaited M55 link road opening in 2023

Lancashire County Council’s Cabinet will consider starting the tendering procedure for the earthworks and structures element of the building of the vital link between Ansdell and Whitehills.

The road linking Fylde directly to the motorway network has been in the offing for years and, as well as drastically improving journey times for Fylde drivers, is set to provide a major boost for the Fylde economy.

Today’s decision will be taken on the basis that no contractual commitment will be entered into until all the funding has been secured and is available for the project.

But along with confirmation of the total cost of the road of £24.5m, documents issued by the County Council ahead of today’s meeting detail a proposed timetable for its building.

The hope is that the earthworks and structures will start on April 1 next year and are expected to take 18 months. Total duration of entire link road construction is 30 months, which takes a likely opening date to October 2023..

Funding agreed in principle is covered by Shovel Ready Funding via the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (£5.79m); Lancashire County Council (£5.48m); National Productivity Investment fund (£5m); Highways England Growth and Housing Fund (£4.78m); Kensington Developments (£2.5m); Fylde Council and Blackpool Enterprise Zone (£2m).

Some legal agreements are yet to be signed but the general mood is optimism that, subject to approval for the tender process, the first shovel will be in the ground next spring.

Fylde MP Mark Menzies said: “When Lancashire County Council start the tender process for the groundworks, that means construction of the M55 link road is officially under way.

“I was delighted to see the pre-works completed last year, removing National Air Traffic Control cabling out of the way.

“Following that work, we unfortunately lost two of the funding packages towards the £24.5m road.

“I lobbied the Prime Minister and senior ministers and I’m delighted they responded to replace those lost funds, giving us a fully-funded scheme once again.

“With those funds replaced, we can press on .

“This has been the most frustrating project I have worked on as an MP – but this is moment we’ve all been working towards for so long.”

Fylde Council leader Coun Karen Buckley said: “The link road cannot come soon enough.

“Lockdown provided some respite because of far fewer cars on the road, but car journeys have now resumed as people go back to work and we have all noticed that day trips to the coast have increased this summer.

“All of this means the return of congestion along Queensway which will only get worse.

“Fylde residents are baffled by the years of delay in delivering this vital link road to the motorway and are angered that house building continues without the necessary infrastructure in place.

“We are, yet again, at a point where the necessary funds are secured, and all public bodies are united in their commitment to see this road delivered.

“Fylde Council pledged £1m in 2016 and recently underwrote a further £1m to be delivered from business rate growth on Fylde land at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

“We have worked tirelessly with Lancashire County Council to keep this project live and I’m grateful to colleagues at LCC and to our MP who have shown determination to get the scheme over the line.

“The anticipated decision by LCC’s Cabinet on Thursday will see the start of the procurement exercise which is to be welcomed.

“We eagerly await the signing of the legal agreements as the final piece of the jigsaw to unlock the delivery of this long-awaited project.”