Shoppers in Preston ask: 'Who plans these roads?'

Leslie Bleasdale's call for more pavements on Eastway have been backed by other locals.

County Hall last week dismissed a plea for footpaths on either side of Eastway despite claims residents were having to cross the busy road several times to reach stores on the Fulwood Central retail hub.

But after local shopper Leslie Bleasdale highlighted his fears for shoppers on foot, others jumped in to support his case and call for a safer solution for pedestrians.

In an open letter to LCC, Post reader Matt Hodges wrote: “The Government has a policy of encouraging active travel, but your highways officers oppose it constantly.

“Who sanctions new roads without footways or with very inconvenient footways like these on Eastway? Or James Towers Way? Or London Way? Or the dangerous footway round Broughton roundabout? Your senior highways officers show no concern for pedestrians.”

Writing on social media, Johannes Christian von Voges added: “The whole road needs an overhaul. But it’s LCC, they are completely blind when it comes to road planning. They see nothing wrong with their work and fob off any layperson that dares criticise.”

And Steph Wood said: “The road needs to be a dual carriage way with pavements and cycle paths the length of both sides of the road. It’s impossible to get anywhere without traffic jams since the housing estates went up.”

Responding to Leslie Bleasdale, LCC leader Coun Geoff Driver said: “At this time we have no plans to extend the footpath network in the area, other than those for the new D’Urton Lane link.”