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A number of road closures in Broadgate have been lifted after more than a year of work.
Environment Agency North West has completed a section of the now delayed flood defence works on Riverside.
It means South End is now accessible via Broadgate and ends the diversion which was in place via Strand Road and Hartington Road.
Read more: New mini wetland to be created on banks of River Ribble at Penwortham
Wolseley Road and Connaught Road are also both reopened and the one-way system restored.
A stretch of Riverside accessed from South Meadow Lane, by the Continental, is going to remain closed until December next year. The owners of the Continental and the Mini garage have criticised the delayed works and continued disruption.
The Environment Agency said it will also return to the stretch of Riverside from South End to Miller Gardens from Spring next year to undertake further works and the road will close at that time. No exact dates have been given. Work on the Miller Park flood gates and entrance has also paused for the moment.
The £54million pound scheme has been hit by technical difficulties and delays on the Broadgate side of the river since it began in 2022.
Environment Agency flood and coastal risk manager, Richard Knight, said: “We sympathise with residents and business owners and are working hard with our suppliers to complete this section of the project as quickly as possible.
“The delays encountered whilst working along Riverside are due to unexpected and complicated riverbank and bedrock conditions. This has meant that we have had to undertake a redesign of the foundations for the new flood defences, review works to the riverbank and revisit the construction methods we are using.”
Work is still continuing on the Penwortham side of the river and Riverside Road and surrounding roads are due to see all flood defence works complete on Friday (20 December) and all road closures lift then.
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