M65 roadworks to last for the next five months

A major multi-million pound improvement project for the M65 is set to bring chaos to Burnley and Pendle roads until Christmas.
Motorists face six months of roadworks on the M65 between Burnley and Colne.Motorists face six months of roadworks on the M65 between Burnley and Colne.
Motorists face six months of roadworks on the M65 between Burnley and Colne.

Work is due to begin next month – at the same time as a massive refurbishment of Burnley’s Centenary Way flyover which is expected to bring the town centre to a standstill for weeks on end.

And, controversially, the project will also include switching off and then permanently removing the M-way lights on the Burnley to Colne stretch of the M-way.

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Work on the £6.6m. scheme is schedulted to begin on July 13th and is hoped that it will be completed by early December but could last until Christmas, according to Lancashire County Council.

New concrete barriers will be erected on the central reservation between junction 10 at Gannow Top and junction 14 at Colne. Street lighting will be permanently removed, being switched off before the barrier construction works begin. However, the slip roads and junction lighting will remain.

National policy requires that newly-built motorways use concrete barriers in the central reserve. This also requires that existing barriers are upgraded to concrete barriers as they reach the end of their useful life.

The new barriers will minimise the risk of cross-over accidents and reduce the need for repair and maintenance.

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County Coun. John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We’re sorry for the inconvenience, but this work is vital to ensure the central barrier meets safety standards and is strong enough to minimise the risk of an incident involving a large vehicle hitting the barrier and going into oncoming traffic on the other side.

“We’ll need to put traffic management in place to allow this work to take place safely and will publicise the full details shortly so that people know what to expect and can plan their journeys.”