Lancashire County Council in the UK has launched the tender process seeking a contractor for the £110m road building project in Preston.

The project will include construction of four miles of road linking Preston and Southern Fylde to the M55, known as the Preston Western Distributor (PWD), as well as connecting new and existing housing areas in North West Preston.

The PWD will protect the route of the proposed 4km-long dual carriageway and associated link roads from further development.

"It demonstrates how the strengths of an area can be harnessed by local councils and businesses working positively with the government to boost the local economy."

The distributor will support planned housing in north-west Preston, improve access to the new Enterprise Zone in Warton, as well as provide an option to avoid rush-hour congestion in the city centre.

The project is a major element of plans to support new development and economic growth outlined in Lancashire County Council’s highways and transport masterplan for the area, and one of four major new roads and a new motorway junction schemes to receive funding under the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire city deal.

Together with the PWD project, a new east-west link road will connect through traffic to the dual carriageway to avoid already congested routes.

In March 2016, a planning application is expected with work scheduled to begin on the first part, an east-west link road, by the end of 2016.

Work is scheduled to be initiated on the PWD in 2018.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said: "This city deal is providing huge opportunities for people in Lancashire and is already improving local road links.

"It demonstrates how the strengths of an area can be harnessed by local councils and businesses working positively with the government to boost the local economy.

"We are determined to rebalance the economy and create a northern powerhouse. By investing in infrastructure and skills this deal is ensuring the area has the tools it needs to thrive, on top of providing the jobs and homes that will benefit many people locally."