Lancashire County Council has started its ground investigation in preparation for the Preston and Western Distributor, which will link North West Preston and the M55, along with the associated East-West Link Road and Cottam Link Road.

A drilling rig has started testing the underground structure of the land, a process that will last around five weeks. The tests are needed every 50 metres along the preferred routes to determine the strength and condition of the ground on which we wish to build the roads and bridges.

The testing is another step forwards in the process of preparing to build the roads along with topographical and environmental surveys that are also taking place.

The Preston Western Distributor is one of a number of major road schemes at the heart of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal that will generate more than 20,000 new jobs and over 17,000 new homes. PWD will be complemented by measures to improve public transport, cycling and walking.

Phill Wilson, project manager at Lancashire County Council, said: “We need to carry out this work to ensure that we can produce a well-engineered design for these roads and their associated bridges. We will liaise with the landowners whose fields are affected to identify the best time to carry out the investigation so as not to affect crops and land usage.”