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Alleygates locked open in legal row
Coun Terry Cartwright next to one of the gates in Goldfinch Street which has been locked open
They have been hailed for reducing crime for keeping criminals locked out.
And homeowners in the Canaries area of Deepdale campaigned for alleygates for more than two years, saying they would increase security and give their children somewhere safe to play.
But now it has come to light that, just two months after the gates were finally installed, some have been opened again because they contravene highway laws.
Because the areas, close to the junctions of Deepdale Road and Goldfinch Street and Wren Street, have some properties which only have rear access, the Highways Act dictates that the highway cannot be blocked off by anything.
Council officers have been in the area locking open five of the gates.
Coun Terry Cartwright, councillor for Deepdale, said residents were furious.
He said: “Everybody here has been wanting them. And then, lo and behold, the residents went out one day and thought ‘I wonder who’s left the gate open?’. They have tried to close them and noticed the bottom fixed into the ground with a locking device.
“What I can’t understand was why this was not picked up before. The residents are upset, they have waited for years. Some residents bought extra keys and some are now saying they are going to take them back.”
It is understood the gates cost the council around £1,200 each to install.
A council spokesman said: “Alleygates have been installed in the Deepdale area as part of a campaign to reduce crime and improve community safety in this area of the city. Unfortunatley we have been made aware of problems in relation to residents gaining access but we are seeking to remedy this situation.”
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 13 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
NorthendBeliever
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 04:39 PMThis is what happens when you 'ave monkey's running the council. They spend so long in their Masonic garb circle-jerking each other they forget how to do their jobs.
tatty
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 04:26 PMNo 8... no wonder you are not still in business as you can not possibly quote without a specification, The gates round preston are galvanised steel and painted with special paint!! If you were to charge £725 you would be making a loss!!! Why do people not get their facts right before commenting on these stories...... Very Annoying!!!
brookss4
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:53 AMYes adopted TJ is Cllr James Thomas Hull.
AdoptedByPreston
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:31 AM#9 TJ, 8 said " I wish i was back in the trade", presumably he's no longer in a position to tender for such work. TJ - are you a councillor?
TJ
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:58 PM8 - pity you didn't tender for the work. I think several companies did respond when tenders were asked for and the cheapest one was picked - so if you could do the work to an acceptable qaulity you would have won the tender.
Stand Cloggin
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:05 PMA 1200 pounds each really? I wish i was back in the trade. Somebody is taking this council to the cleaners and some .I,ve just done a rough calculation and i could have manufactured and fit for £ 725.00p tops and thats galvanised not painted!Talk about Ripoff Britain sadly it starts on our doorstep with Coucillors who don,t have any expirence of trades and are oblivious to value for money contracts, It makes me think thank god the tithebarn project didn,t go ahead with this bunch of puppets at the helm.
Sam Tana
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:43 PMSo the people who installed these gates will have to come back and resolve the problem? See you later, alley-gater... (River, can I borrow that coat?)
brookss4
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:56 PM#5 very funny, I guess properties with rear access are converted houses into separate flats. It is likely the residents of those flats werent even living there before the gates were installed. It is easily resolved with some sort of electronic access system but that would cost money and so I guess the question would be who would pay for it
River
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:30 PMAlways check your facts before you make alley-gations. (I'll get my coat).
sydney olympic
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 01:26 PMPreston City Council dose it again!! Why was the highways act not checked BEFORE the gates were installed?USELESS PCC
realworldman
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:43 AMSomething wrong with the consultation process, if every propert owner affected had been asked to sign to show agreement to the scheme, this would not now be a problem.
Lancs&proud
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:20 AMBureaucracy once again go's mad, and at what cost?
sid
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:14 AMcan anyone say town planning,put up the gates,then look for problems,
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