Traffic light replacement to cause diversions

Traffic lights are being replaced in Preston as they are "coming to the end of their life", council officials say

The second stage of a scheme to replace traffic lights in a city is due to begin on 2 March, leading to overnight road closures.

The works in Preston at the A59 Ring Way and Stanley Street junction with Church Street, near HMP Preston, are expected to take six to eight weeks depending on conditions.

Further works to replace traffic lights at the junction between Garstang Road, Aqueduct Street and St George's Road are due to start from 3 March.

Signal-controlled pedestrian facilities will also be improved so they can be more accessible for blind and partially-sighted users.

Lancashire County Council said the traffic lights, some of which have been used since the 1970s, were being replaced as they were "coming to the end of their life and are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain".

Diversions

Some of the works will take place overnight from Sundays to Thursdays between 19:00 GMT to 06:00 GMT, with diversions to be put in place.

The first stage of the scheme at the A6 Garstang Road junction with Moor Lane, which began at the start of January, finished ahead of schedule on 20 February.

Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "By taking proactive action, we hope to reduce disruption for years or decades to come.

"We would like to thank people for their continued patience throughout these essential works and ask them to allow additional time for their journeys or seek alternative routes where possible."