Some of the most deadly roads in Lancashire and Bolton are to share almost £40 million in road safety improvement cash.

The Department for Transport has announced safety improvements will be made on 17 of England’s deadliest roads, including four in the North West.

A total of £38.3 million has been allocated to council projects, which it is hoped will save 385 lives over the next 20 years.

The work will include designing new junctions and roundabouts, clearer signage and road markings, and improved pedestrian crossings and cycle lanes.

This is part of the Safer Roads Fund, from which £147.5 million has already been invested to make 38 high-risk roads safer.

In Lancashire, the county's stretch of the A6 will receive funding; the road runs through Chorley, Clayton-Le-Woods, Bamber Bridge, through Preston and then onto Garstang, Forton, Lancaster and Morecambe before heading into Cumbria. 

The A583, which runs between Preston and Blackpool, via Kirkham, is also to receive safety investment.

Lancashire County Council will get £4.54 million for the A6 work, and just shy of £1.5m for the A583.

In Bolton, the A579, which runs between Breightmet and Junction 22 of the M6, and the A676, which runs between Bolton and Ramsbottom, are also to receive cash.

Bolton Council is receiving £1.425m for the A579 work, and £1.025m for the A676 improvements.

The Government has not said which sections of each road will receive investment or what specific traffic calming or safety measures will be installed in each road.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Britain’s roads are some of the safest in the world, but we are always looking at ways to help keep drivers and all road users safe.

“As part of the Government’s plan to improve roads across the country, we’re providing an extra £38 million so that local councils in England have the support they need to keep everyone safe, while reducing congestion and helping to grow the economy.”

Dr Suzy Charman, executive director of the Road Safety Foundation charity, said: “The Safer Roads Fund is a transformational initiative for road safety and for the local authorities receiving funds.

“It makes it possible for road safety teams across the country to proactively address risk of death and serious injury for all road users on these routes.”

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity RAC Foundation, said: “Today’s announcement means another 120 miles of safer road improvements will be delivered to the benefit of users.

“Such incremental improvements are key to achieving our collective aim for a safer road network as a whole.”

Elsewhere in England, roads in Bristol (A432), Devon (A361), Durham (A690), Doncaster (A19), East Sussex (A2101), Essex (A113), Northamptonshire (A6) North Yorkshire (A19), Nottingham (A60 and A6200), Oxfordshire (A420), Shropshire (A5191), and Solihull (A41) are also being made safer.