Darling launches jambuster plan

The plan - to tackle congestion - involves junction improvements at "pinch points" across the roads network.

Mr Darling first gave details of the plan earlier this week when he spoke at a Freight Transport Association (FTA) dinner in London at which haulage bosses attacked the Government's 10-year transport plan.

Mr Darling told the FTA that congestion caused pollution and accidents and that road improvements were therefore essential.

The full list of North West schemes is:

- M57/Junction 7 (Switch Island) £4.6 million The existing junction will be replaced with a linked traffic signal controlled junction. Aimed at easing congestion, improving journey time reliability and safety and meet the demands of increasing traffic on this important route into Liverpool. work is due to start in 2003 and be completed by 2004.

- M6 / Junction 40 Penrith. £300,000 Increasing the roundabout and each of the motorway entry slip roads from two to three lanes to reduce queuing and delays at peak periods, making the roundabout safer. Install traffic signals on the M6 northbound exit slip road and A66 eastbound entry slip road. (The entry slip road from M6 southbound is already signal controlled). Work is due to start in September 2003 and last for 12 weeks.

- A556 Bucklow Hill Junction Improvements. £765,000 Replacement of the signal controlled junction with a segregated right turn signalised junction including a 'G' loop to enable right turning traffic to be removed from the through traffic. The scheme will improve the delays caused to through traffic and improve the safety at the junction for both vehicles and pedestrians. Public Inquiry due to be held in January 2002.

- A556 Moss Lane Junction improvement. £265,000 Provision of a right turn lane to be segregated from through traffic. Traffic will be banned from turning out of Moss Lane. U-turn facility to be provided. The project will improve congestion and safety. Draft orders published in February 2002.

- M6 Junction 34 improvements, £250,000 A package of measures aimed at improving safety on the slip roads including extending the entry and exit merges, adding an extra lane to the north bound link road and improving signing. The first phase of the work has been carried out and the remaining work will be carried out in the next financial year

- M6 Junction 17 signalisation of off slip junction, £400,000 Heavy traffic on the A534 at peak times results in few opportunities for traffic to turn onto the A534, resulting in long queues. Work is expected to start shortly.

- M62 Junction 10 Westbound diverge to M6 north / southbound, £400,000 The junction acts as a main route for traffic from the M60 wishing to join the M6 and the evening peak hour flow of 4,700 vehicles exceeds the 1,800 per hour capacity of the junction. The scheme entails providing a 'Tiger's tail' layout which will alow vehicles to exit from lane two in addition to lane one. The project will reduce delays and accidents.

- M62 Junction 10 eastbound merge from M6, £150,000 The M6 - M62 link road is to be reduced to a single lane to reduce queue related accidents due to weaving movements. Work to start shortly.

- M62 Junction 18 eastbound to Birch Services, £3,380,000 The provision of a fourth lane from Junction 18 to Birch Services will reduce queue related accidents and improve congestion due to improved merge facilities at Junction 18 and better weaving facilities at and beyond the junction. Work could start in 2006/7.

- A585 Thistleton junction, £160,000 Widening of trunk road to accommodate a right turn lane into minor road to reduce accidents. There will also be an economic benefit by reducing congestion at the junction for traffic between the M55 and Fleetwood Port. The improvements are due to be carried out next year.

- A585 Thornton roundabout improvements, £110,000. Provision of a segregated cycle track around the perimeter of the roundabout and a short length of on road cycle track to prevent accidents. The work is due to be carried out next year.