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Show will 'devastate local firms'
Traffic gridlock at a new site for the Royal Lancashire Show will devastate local firms, a business boss warned today.
David Stuart, 50, who has run the Preston Jaguar Centre at White Horse Garage, Barton, Preston, for 18 years, is concerned the event will create a three-day A6 "car park" which will hit his business hard.
The Duchy of Lancaster has submitted an application to Wyre Council to use quarry land at Myerscough, near Preston, as a temporary base for the show, which attracts 60,000 people every year.
It could also be used to host events on 25 other days of the year. In total, 129 letters of objection have been received, many citing traffic concerns, and the council is due to consider the application on January 9.
Today Mr Stuart, who employs seven people at his company, told the Evening Post: "I have no objection in theory to the showground, it is the traffic. No-one seems to have addressed the traffic problem.
"I think our trade is going to be hit because you know what the A6 is like now.
"All my staff live in either Garstang or Preston. For the lads that live in Preston it can take them 40 minutes to get home and this is just going to make it worse.
"The other thing is health and safety. If there is an accident and the road is a car park, the ambulances won't be able to get around.
"Customers can't get in and we can't get out to road test cars.
"People won't come near. It already happens now, if you haven't got cars ready to collect by 3.30pm, people say, "I'll come back tomorrow morning'.
"It is going to eventually become a Tatton Park-type place with shows every week.
"The only reason I make money is because I work hard and they are just putting obstacles in my way.
"I might as well shut my doors for three days."
According to the Duchy's traffic plan there is expected to be 5,000 extra cars a day on the A6 between Broughton and Garstang during the show next July – and that is based on three people per car.
But planning officers at Wyre Council have recommended that the Duchy's plans be approved.
A consultation response from Lancashire County Council's Highways department states: "Whilst I have some reservations about the traffic impact of the development, in particular the A6 to the south of the site, I do not consider there to be sufficient grounds for a highways objection."
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
