Major disruption ahead as TWO Altcar Road closures will affect one of Formby’s main routes for almost three weeks

Motorists in Formby will be facing significant disruption over the coming weeks, with two separate road closures currently planned for Altcar Road, one of the main routes between Formby and the Formby Bypass.

The first closure was scheduled to begin on Monday 10 August, for works being carried out on behalf of United Utilities.

However, as of Monday evening, the planned closure had not started, despite the latest roadworks information continuing to show the works as due to take place between 10 August and 21 August.

The works are currently listed on Causeway one.network as “about to start”, suggesting the closure could now begin from Tuesday 11 August, although no revised start date has yet been published.

First closure – United Utilities

United Utilities is due to carry out utility repair and maintenance works on Altcar Road, with a full road closure required.

The current permit details are:

Planned dates: 10 August to 21 August

Traffic management: Full road closure

Status: About to start

Works: Utility repair and maintenance

Emergency access: Maintained

Footway closure: No

Highway authority: Sefton Council

United Utilities does not publish a detailed description of the work through one.network, so at present it is unclear exactly what repairs are required or whether the delayed start will affect the proposed completion date of Friday 21 August.

A signed diversion is due to take motorists along a route of approximately 3.09km, using Altcar Road, Cross Green, the B5424, Liverpool Road and the A565 Formby Bypass before rejoining Altcar Road.

But that isn’t the end of the disruption.

Second Altcar Road closure begins just days later

A completely separate closure is then scheduled to begin on Monday 24 August, just three days after the United Utilities works are currently due to finish.

This second closure is being carried out by Sefton Council for carriageway reconstruction works.

The council works are scheduled from:

Monday 24 August to Friday 28 August

The affected section is listed as Formby Bypass to Alt Road, with a road closure required throughout the works.

Emergency access will again be maintained.

This means that, based on the dates currently published, Altcar Road could face disruption for much of the remainder of August.

There is currently only a three-day gap – Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August, with the second closure beginning on Monday 24 August – between the scheduled end of the United Utilities works and the start of Sefton Council’s reconstruction scheme.

The fact that the first closure did not begin today as originally scheduled could now raise questions over whether the United Utilities work will still be completed by 21 August and whether there could be any knock-on effect on the council’s planned reconstruction works.

Drivers should prepare for disruption

Altcar Road is an important route into and out of Formby, connecting the town with the A565 Formby Bypass, and lengthy closures have the potential to place additional pressure on surrounding roads.

Anyone who regularly uses the route should therefore be prepared for diversions and possible delays over the coming weeks.

As things currently stand, the timetable is:

10–21 August: United Utilities – utility repair and maintenance works, although the closure had not started as scheduled on Monday 10 August.

22–23 August: No closure currently listed.

24–28 August: Sefton Council – carriageway reconstruction between Formby Bypass and Alt Road.

We will keep an eye on the United Utilities works and update residents when the Altcar Road closure actually begins, particularly if the delayed start results in any change to the scheduled completion date.