Blackpool drivers face diversions until June as Norcross roundabout work is delayed

The Norcross roundabout improvements scheme on the busy A585, which was due to be completed by the end of April, appears set to continue until early June.

And drivers are being warned of overnight roadworks on the M55 due to start this week which will see lane closures in addition to work already ongoing.

A spokesman for Highways England which is overseeing the Norcross roundabout project said: “Underground utility cables and pipes need to be diverted before we can progress our work further.

“We’re aiming to have all utility diversion work to be completed by the end of April 2020.

“This has had a substantial knock on effect that has required the programme to be altered.”

Now Norcross Lane will see closures in place until May 6 with drivers directed to take diversion routes.

Amounderness Way (phase four of the scheme) will see overnight temporary two-way traffic lights in place from mid-March to early June.

In addition to the Norcross Lane work, overnight closures will also be required to the junctions of Fleetwood Road South (both approaches).

And although the A585 Amounderness Way will remain open at all times, temporary traffic lights will be in place until the end of the scheme, used between 8pm and 6am.

Severe winter weather caused knock-on delays to the start of phase three of the scheme in February and then more delays occurred later that month blamed on unexpected underground conditions and drivers going through the roadworks at night forcing changes to the traffic management system.

That knocked the schedule back a further two weeks.

The scheme is funded from the Government’s national £220m Congestion Relief Fund to tackle traffic hot-spots.

It is designed to help ease jams along the A585 between Kirkham and Fleetwood along with work at Skippool and Windy Harbour.

Work is due to start on both carriageways of the M55 between junctions one and three, Broughton and Kirkham with two lanes out of three shut overnight on April 17 to 18 from 8.30pm until 6am.

This is in addition to the ongoing work on the motorway due to end in April 22 as a new junction is installed.

Phase one was on Fleetwood Road South southern section.Phase two was on the northern section. Phase three is on Norcross Lane and phase four is the work on the centre island.