A NEW footbridge and cycleway is set to be built alongside an existing road bridge.

Lancashire County Council's development control committee was today set to approve plans for the parallel bridge, which will run over the former Longridge branch railway line alongside the existing Preston Road bridge.

The bridge, known as Skew Bridge, is a known bottleneck on the Preston Road and only one car can travel over it at any time, often creating tailbacks on the road.

There is already one pedestrian bridge for people walking or cycling from Preston to Longridge but, says a report to the committee, people face a battle to get across the bridge if travelling to Preston.

A spokesman for the county council said: "The proposed development would alleviate this problem and also provide a link with the recreational footpath which runs along the bed of the old railway cutting.

"At the moment, people walking on the one side of the road have to cross and use a pavement on the other side, which is difficult given the level of traffic, or walk on the road.

"Skew Bridge is adjacent to Grimsargh Primary School so it is considered that the proposal provides the opportunity to improve highway safety in relation to school traffic."