£4 million project to boost driver and pedestrian safety at Two Mills gets underway

A £4 million National Highways project to boost driver and pedestrian safety along sections of the A550 at Two Mills near Ellesmere Port is underway.

Sections of the four-mile route between the A494 at Shotwick and A41 near Hooton are to benefit from new footways to improve public right of way pedestrian access, new roadside safety barriers and improved lighting which will include the use of energy-saving, carbon-reducing LED bulbs.

The existing safety cameras in the area will be replaced with a dozen new cameras to help maintain the 50mph speed limit.  Road signs along the route will also be renewed.

New vehicle activated signs are also being installed to warn drivers on the A550 when other road users are pulling out of Shotwick junction.

National Highways project manager Ian Spence said:

“We’re giving this section of the A550 between the M53 and Welsh border a bit of a makeover with new safety barriers, signs, lighting and safety cameras.  And we’re also taking the opportunity to make things even safer for pedestrians and drivers.

“We’ll be closing parts of the road overnight when traffic is at its lightest and good diversions will be in place. We’d like to thank road users for their patience as we work to deliver this important investment in the network.”

Work on the improvements began last week, on Monday 22 April, and should be completed before the end of August.

A first phase, up to Tuesday 16 July, is focusing on the section of the A550 between Two Mills and Shotwick.

The second phase, taking place between Two Mills and the A41 at Hooton, will run from Wednesday 17 July to Wednesday 28 August.

Work will be paused for the bank holidays this weekend and at the end of the month to help drivers on holiday journeys.

Regular full carriageway closures – between 9pm and 5am each night and on weeknights only – will take place during each of the two phases.

During the first phase the A550 will be closed nightly between the Shotwick junction and Two Mills; the second phase pf the work will involve full carriageway closures between Two Mills and the A41.

Diversions will be clearly signed via the A road routes east of the A550 – with different combinations of the A540, A41, A5117 and A494 depending on whether the overnight closure is during the phase of work north or south of Two Mills.

More than 30,000 vehicles use the route and the safety work will complement a £1 million project completed in 2018 improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists travelling along the A540 through its junction with the A550 at Two Mills. More information on the latest improvements is available on National Highways’ projects webpage.