Virtual Lancaster

Traffic changes planned from Monday for 2014

Costain, the company contracted to build the contoversial new Heysham-M6 Bypass, have posted the June issue of their newsletter ‘The Link’ today, explaining that major roadworks are due to start this coming Monday 9 June on the roundabout at the junction of Morecambe Road and the A683 (end of Heysham Bypass), requiring traffic diversions. These will continue until May 2015 at the earliest.

You can download the newsletter from the Link website at http://heyshamlink.lancashire.gov.uk.
Lancashire County Council has also supplied a more detailed 2-page document outlining the changes planned and you can download it here.

They explain:

“We’ve designed four phases of construction, to reduce the impact on road users, in order to keep traffic flowing.

This drawing (see above) explains the changes to the junction layout during construction.

“The major changes are:

• The Heysham Bypass will only allow one-way traffic from Lancaster on a single lane carriageway from Morecambe Road Junction to the Mellishaw Lane roundabout (see insert).

• There will be no right turn onto the Heysham Bypass for traffic heading out of Morecambe on Morecambe Road; drivers must continue along Morecambe Road to the ‘ASDA’ roundabout and take Ovangle Road for Heysham

• Traffic from the Heysham Bypass will be diverted at the Mellishaw Lane roundabout and sent along Ovangle Road.

Phase 1 works to the Morecambe Road roundabout commence on 9 June 2014 as workers move in to remove the traffic islands.  The full changes shown above are due to come into effect from 30 June 2014 when Phase 2 begins.

From November 2014 phase 3 begins: “This phase keeps the same principle for local traffic but changes the traffic alignment on Morecambe Road only.” 

Phase 4 is “works to Morecambe Road Roundabout commencing May 2015, when the A683 should be back open as two-way traffic.“

Drivers of these routes would be advised to consider carsharing or public transport to help reduce the inevitable congestion and also to reduce the fuel costs and pollution resulting from idling traffic. You can find local carshare opportunities on the County Council-sponsored website at https://sharedwheels.liftshare.com/. If you’ve been thinking about trying it, you couldn’t find a better time than now. 

If you have any issues to raise with Costain or Lancashire County Council regarding the works, they can be contacted via their respective websites at http://heyshamlink.lancashire.gov.uk/ and www.lancashire.gov.uk.