GAS diversion works at Pewfall junction will get under way next week as part of a £5.8m improvement scheme to reduce congestion and improve road safety.

Last month (June), St Helens Council’s cabinet approved major funding of £8.3m which will be invested in a range of highway works – including Pewfall junction on the East Lancashire Road.

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Among the touted benefits of the scheme are that motorists will experience quicker journey times through an improved junction with the capacity to cope with increased traffic – while a dedicated pedestrian and cycle crossing will also be put in place across the Stanley Bank Way junction to enhance safety.

To accommodate the scheme – which is expected to start in autumn 2019 – gas diversion works will get underway on Monday (July 22), taking 63 days to complete. As a result, lane closures will be in place in lane one westbound, and the left turn lane into Stanley Bank Way.

The Pewfall junction improvement scheme is being funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s local growth fund who will invest £2.6m, with local developers adding £500,000 to the project and St Helens Council investing the remaining £2.7m to help support economic growth in the borough.

St Helens Council’s cabinet member for environmental services, Cllr Lynn Clarke, said: “We know that residents really care about the road networks in our borough and want to see us investing in making it easier to travel for everyone whether you drive, cycle or walk.

“Obviously with such an investment there will be some disruption in the short term which we are aiming to keep to a minimum – but ultimately in the long term, this investment is really good news for the borough and will contribute to like quicker journey times, safer roads and make our communities better-connected which will in turn help boost our economic growth too.”