Lancashire County Council has selected a contractor to deliver its £12 million Broughton Bypass project.

Hochtief (UK) Construction will begin work on the scheme at the end of 2015, with completion scheduled for spring 2017.

The 2km long project aims to reduce traffic congestion and will create a new route from the roundabout at Junction 1 of the M55 to the A6 north of Broughton.

Initial work includes setting up a compound on site, followed by clearance work to prepare the area for construction.

The planning permission also includes a scheme of complementary work, with £1 million put aside to fund improvements in the village and locally along the A6 corridor and Guild Wheel.

In addition, the project will support a new housing development being built by Taylor Wimpey at Whittingham Hospital.

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Approva has been granted for 650 homes, and 9,000 square metres for business use. 150 new homes will be built in the first phase.

Sally Cox, MD of HOCHTIEF (UK), said: "We are delighted to have been awarded the A6 Broughton Bypass project. Our team is eager to get started and make the delivery of this scheme a complete success for the community in Broughton."

Council Leader Jennifer Mein added: "This is an important step in the construction of this bypass that will help to improve travel times along the A6, while cutting congestion and pollution in the centre of Broughton.

"The plans are now moving at pace, with the road scheduled to open in spring 2017. The county council is currently working with the contractor to develop a detailed schedule for the work, which will be shared with the local community and other people who use of this crucial stretch of the transport network."

The bypass project is funded by the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, which will help to create more than 20,000 new private sector jobs and see over 17,000 new homes built across the area, along with new school places, open green spaces and new health provision.

(LM/CD)