Key St Annes road Kilnhouse Lane to stay closed for more than three further weeks after being shut since June
“The developer has committed to reopening Kilnhouse Lane to through traffic by October 19 at the latest, and we are continuing to work with them to explore opportunities to bring this date forward”
A major road junction in St Annes due to reopen last Monday is to be closed for more than three further weeks after being shut to drivers since early June.
Kilnhouse Lane, St Annes where it meets Queensway, remains cordoned off, with work now temporarily suspended after the discovery of a “highway design issue”, according to roads authority Lancashire County Council.
The council says work is due to resume on Monday, September 28 and that the junction will reopen to traffic by October 19 at the latest.
Three-way traffic lights will then be in operation rather than the current two-way set for through traffic running between St Annes and Blackpool on Queensway.
The temporary lights which were introduced when the work started in on June 15 and have been listed throughout as continuing until November 2.
The work at the Kilnhouse Lane/Queensway junction - a private scheme being carried ot by Quinn Civils under the authority of Lancashire County Council - is to allow for road system improvements outside the adjacent Rowland Homes site at Richmond Point.
A diversion for drivers, including the No 10 bus route between St Annes and Blackpool, during the Kilnhouse Lane closure is signposted along Blackpool Road North to where it joins Queensway.
Lengthy traffic queues have built up at busy times because of the works on Queensway, which have been in operation over a busy summer for events, including Lytham Festival, the Women’s Golf Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes and St Annes International Kite Festival.
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A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "During ongoing works on Kilnhouse Lane, we identified an issue with the highway design which could have increased the future risk of flooding.
“As a result, we instructed the developer to pause works while the design was reviewed and a revised solution was developed.
"While not part of the original design, addressing it now will help prevent future surface water flooding and avoid further disruption after the road reopens.
"A revised design was agreed with the developer on September 22 and work will resume on Monday.
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“The developer has committed to reopening Kilnhouse Lane to through traffic by October 19 at the latest, and we are continuing to work with them to explore opportunities to bring this date forward.
"Once Kilnhouse Lane reopens, the current two-way temporary traffic lights on Queensway will be replaced with three-way signals to safely manage the junction.
"We would like to thank residents, businesses and road users for their continued patience while these works are completed."
Cllr Karen Henshaw, a Kilnhouse ward representative on Fylde Council said: “It’s very disappointing to see Kilnhouse Lane still closed but I’m not surprised. I can’t remember the last such project locally which was completed on time.
“The closure has been very frustrating through the summer for drivers and those using the No 10 bus which has struggled to keep to schedule.
“The queues around there have been horrendous at times and not a good advert for our area.”