A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool: Opening date of new £150 million bypass delayed to winter 2023

When was the new bypass set to open?

The bypass in Poulton-le-Fylde was due to be completed this summer.

Why has its opening date been delayed?

National Highways said the bypass has been delayed due to “challenging and complex ground conditions” in between Garstang New Road and Mains Lane.

The ground conditions led to problems in protecting and diverting a major water main, the agency said.

These works could not be rushed due to the risk of bursting the main, potentially leaving residents in Poulton and surrounding areas without water.

As a result, National Highways say they had to design and adopt a unique engineering solution to divert the main.

These unexpected works delayed the construction of the new Poulton junction at Garstang Road East, which is a critical section to the whole route.

What has National Highways said about the delay?

A spokesman for National Highways said: “We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this new date may cause.

“We’re working hard to complete our work on this essential bypass project, safely and as quickly as we possibly can.”

What is being done to ease disruption?

Over the summer period, two extra lanes will be opened to increase capacity at Skippool, heading westbound and eastbound.

This will form part of the permanent solution at the junction and improve the flow of traffic along Mains Lane.

What has been completed so far?

National Highways say they have completed a “vast amount of work” since construction started in 2020:

This includes:

- moving and installing a network of complex utility services

- constructing a new drainage system to prevent flooding when the bypass is operational

- removing Skippool Bridge and constructing a new bridge structure over Main Dyke

- building a new underpass at Lodge Lane

- installing Grange footbridge, providing safe pedestrian access to the village of Singleton

- on-site recycling of approximately 500,000 tonnes of site material, creating a net saving of 5,447 tonnes of carbon dioxide

- mammal crossings to assist wildlife under the bypass

- bird mitigation areas for special species like pink-footed geese, lapwing and curlew

What’s coming up?

National Highways said they will be “completing key elements of the scheme” including:

- realignment of Lodge Lane

- installing permanent traffic signals and road lighting across the project

- implementing a comprehensive re-planting programme, which will be noticeable later this year during planting season

- de-trunking Mains Lane and de-commissioning Garstang New Road. This will take place once we have opened the new bypass

What is de-commissioning?

A decommissioned road is a highway that has been removed from service by closing it down or having its authorisation as a national highway removed.

What is de-trunking?

De-trunking is returning an A-road back to a local highway and handing responsibility for that road to the local highway authority, in this instance from National Highways to Lancashire County Council.

When National Highways de-trunk Mains Lane, new cycle paths and walkways will be constructed to make it safer for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

“The A585 is one of the most congested sections of road in the region and we are eager to finish this work to provide safer, smoother and more reliable journeys for motorists who use this route every day,” the spokesman added.