Motorists who use the A580 East Lancs Road and A570 Rainford Bypass are advised that a number of overnight road closures will be in place early this month as part of the Windle Island Junction Improvement scheme.
In total there will be five days’ of closures starting from Monday 4th until Friday 8th March between the hours of 8:00pm and 6:00am.
The closures are as follows:
4th March (8:00pm- 6:00am) – A580 eastbound closed at Windle Traffic Lights – diversion in place onto A570 northbound. A580 westbound with Rainford Road closed.
5th-7th March (8:00pm- 6:00am) – A580 eastbound / A570 northbound and southbound with Crank Road closed. Rainford Road closed St Helens side of Tesco but not including Bleakhill Road.
8th March (8:00pm- 6:00am – A580 westbound and Rainford Road closed, including Bleak Hill Road.
The work is subject to weather conditions, particularly sensitive due to traffic management installation – and road users are advised to take alternative routes where possible – although signed diversion routes will be in place.
The £7m investment to improve Windle Island – the oldest purpose designed intercity highway in the UK, which sees around 43,000 vehicles pass through a day – began in August to increase junction capacity; improve pedestrian safety, smooth traffic flow – and provide better access in and out of St Helens.
Over half of the scheme is being funded by the Local Growth Fund through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Single Investment Fund after it was approved by the LCR Combined Authority following a successful business case submission to address key issues in St Helens, and to support economic growth in the wider City Region.
Improvements include:
• New signalised junction of Rainford Bypass/Crank Road with traffic lights linked to those on the main junction to maximise vehicle throughput while improving safety for vehicles using the junction to access/egress Crank Road along with providing a controlled crossing for users of the cycle/footpath on the east side of the Rainford Bypass.
• A new four lane southbound approach to Windle Island Junction, providing a dedicated left turning lane to A580 eastbound towards Manchester and a dedicated right turning lane to A580 westbound towards Liverpool.
• The reintroduction of two lanes southbound through the junction, with the left hand lane for St Helens Town Centre via Rainford Road (including Tesco and Starbucks access), and the right hand lane for Eccleston and Prescot via Bleak Rd.
• A new left turn deceleration lane from A580 westbound onto A570 southbound to reduce queue lengths and improve safety.
• Two dedicated right turn lanes from the A580 westbound (towards Liverpool) onto the A570 northbound (towards Rainford). This will reduce queue lengths.
• A new 40 mph speed limit around the junction to improve safety.
Works are now progressing ahead of schedule and an early completion is expected, which these overnight closures will further support.
