Pictured last week - contractors working on the town's new dedicated cycle lane at the junction of Ruff Lane and St Helens Road.

Its redesign will see cyclists given new access onto one of Ormskirk’s main roads and cars blocked from making the opposite journey.

Plans approved by the county council will see £254,000 spent there; the changes will see a bike only lane formed to allow the cyclists to turn right from Ruff Lane while at the same time the existing access from St Helens Road to Ruff Lane will be cut off for motor vehicles, with drivers instead required to continue to Knowsley Road.

The scheme is the first phase of a wider project commonly referred to as Ormskirk's Eastern Gateway and is made up of multiple plans designed to make it easier to walk or cycle between Ormskirk’s town centre, bus and railway stations and Edge Hill.

It'll cost c. £254,000 and funded via a £150,000 contribution from LCC's Integrated Transport Block and £104,000 of funding associated with a development at Edge Hill University.

A report presented to a virtual meeting of the county council’s cabinet stated: “The existing layout of St Helens Road/Ruff Lane junction hinders access for cyclists and therefore acts as a barrier to encouraging cycle journeys from the Ruff Lane entrance of Edge Hill University towards the town centre.”

It adds: “Without implementation of the proposals detailed, using the St Helens Road/Ruff Lane junction will remain potentially hazardous to cyclists and will continue to act as a barrier to sustainable transport journeys between Ormskirk town centre and Edge Hill University.”