New £207m M55 junction opens in Preston

Edith Rigby Way links the A583 Blackpool Road and Riversway with junction 2 on the M55 near Bartle

A major new £207m road scheme linking parts of Preston and the Fylde coast to the motorway is opening later.

Edith Rigby Way links the A583 Blackpool Road and Riversway with junction 2 on the M55 near Bartle.

It is named after the Preston suffragette, who dedicated most of her life to fighting for women's rights.

Work on the scheme began in 2019 and it is hoped it will ease congestion as it connects other parts of the city, the county council said.

It includes two smaller roads, William Young Way and Avice Pimblett Way, which will connect to new and existing housing areas of north-west Preston and Cottam.

These two roads are named after Victoria Cross recipient William Young, and Avice Pimblett OBE, who was the first woman town councillor, first woman alderman and first woman mayor of Preston.

Funding for the new road came from the Department for Transport and the Lancashire Growth Deal with further funding coming from Lancashire County Council, National Highways and Lancashire City Deal.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: "It's fantastic to see the new Edith Rigby Way finally open thanks to this government's £31m investment, which will help reduce congestion, cut journey times and create new local jobs, as we continue to improve transport connections to grow the economy."

Lancashire County Council Leader, Phillippa Williamson, said: "The new road will help to reduce congestion in certain parts of Preston, reduce travel times, open up access to sites for new homes, and unlock opportunities for economic growth and development.

"We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on Preston and other parts of Lancashire."

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