'What will you tell the coroner?' Fears over child safety at busy Preston roundabout
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That is the claim from a cyclist who regularly crosses the Broughton roundabout - and has long been appalled by what he believes is the serious danger facing pupils as they walk or cycle along the surrounding paths.
Matt Hodges first raised his concerns with Lancashire County Council more than three years ago, warning that youngsters negotiating the interchange - where the A6, M55 and M6 all meet - were being forced too close to the edge of the pavement by overhanging vegetation which was partially blocking the pedestrian route.
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Hide AdWhile he acknowledges that some of the greenery was initially cut back, he says that it remains a problem on the A6 Garstang Road approach from Preston, because it is still being allowed to encroach onto the path - creating what he claims is an obstacle course when combined with other street furniture.
“Kids don't and won't walk in single file around things like traffic lights - they go right out to the edge of the kerb.
“There are two traffic light poles, about six metres apart, and halfway between them, there’s a lamppost on the [inside] of the path. There is about a foot of path on the [left-hand] side of the post, but it’s too narrow to ride through, so it makes a chicane - which is what pushes a lot of them out to go the wrong side of the traffic lights
“The county council made the excuse last time I complained that they had put a white line [down] to show the children that they had to keep in. But that’s only about six inches from the edge anyway and isn’t going to stop kids going [too far out]. - they’re more likely to walk along it than anything.
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Hide Ad“HGVs go round that corner [onto the Blackpool-bound M55] with their wheels actually touching the kerb.
“When the lights are on amber, they don't jam their brakes on either, they put their foot down to go faster and make it through - and they can't see far enough around the corner to see a cyclist riding through that gap [between the traffic light pole and the edge of the kerb],” Matt explained.
He told the Lancashire Post that while further tidying up of the shrubbery might improve the situation, the best way to ensure the safety of all users of the path would be to reinstate a roadside railing that was removed when traffic lights were installed on the Garstang Road arm of the roundabout just under a decade ago.
Matt has now once again written to County Hall highways bosses, calling for action. Outlining his fears that a child may be killed at the spot, he asked in his letter: “What are you going to tell the coroner?”
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Hide AdHe also said that temporary roadworks signs were causing further obstruction for young pedestrians and cyclists in the vicinity of the busy junction.
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council told the Post: "The safety of our footpaths is one of our core priorities. We have inspected this location in response to the issues raised and have rearranged the signs to provide more space on the pavement."