Readers' letters - January 19
Not withstanding all the current discussion regarding the Fishergate traffic system, why has nobody made any comment regarding the New Hall Lane scheme?
I believe that this is costing in the region of £1m plus.
Driving down the other day, I couldn’t help but notice that, amongst various lay-bys, we now have sections of the pavement that are wider than the traffic lanes. Now I think if this was a main shopping district, it could be justified, but come on!
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Hide AdMy job used to take me into many town centres throughout the country and I was many times delayed by the ongoing works.
But in all the cases I saw, the end result was increased and safer traffic and pedestrian flow.
Preston and LCC seem to have a different approach, or is it just me?
I would be interested to hear the response from road planners.
Puzzled Preston Person
transport
Original traffic scheme flawed
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Hide AdThere is much being said about bus lanes and the fact 23,000 people have been issued with fines for driving down Fishergate.
What is not being said is that the scheme for the shared space was designed in such a fashion that it actually caused gridlock on Fishergate.
LCC needs to admit its error and rectify it.
You can say introducing a bus lane means less traffic on Fishergate.
Yes, this is true.
There are fewer frustrated drivers on St George’s car park trying to exit because they have literally killed off this car park.
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Hide AdMount Street was one way, left turn only into Fishergate and now it has been reversed.
Vehicles are being forced to turn into Mount Street and the corner is so tight that anything bigger than a car has no choice but to mount the pavement.
This traffic is forced onto roads around Avenham that are not designed to take such heavy traffic.
Fishergate is quiet but the side roads and Ringway are suffering, they are merely pushing the problem further afield.
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Hide AdThe latest rumours coming from LCC state it is thinking of making part of Lune Street two way to allow access to Ringway.
Who decided that the original design was fit for purpose?
The fact cars are banned, signs are now in place, human traffic lights are used and now a possible back track on Lune Street all points to the original scheme being flawed.
Coun Christine Abram
Lea Ward
transport
Motorhome owners should pay more
I don’t know if anybody has noticed the amount of motorhomes and caravans parked on driveways these days.
I have and it is a bit like walking around Cala Gran in Fleetwood. Some of these are huge in size and are parked on residents’ driveways – and sometimes the road – for most of the year.
A blot on the landscape, to put it mildly.
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Hide AdIn some parts of the county, a small van would not be allowed to park on a private driveway because some of the older properties have covenants placed on them to prevent the parking of caravans, and possibly a lot more undesirable vehicles.
Imagine living next to somebody who owns one of these eyesores – apart from blocking any views they previously had, they would considerably devalue
their home, especially
when or if selling their property.
More bad news is the owners of these monstrosities apparently don’t need planning permission to park on their driveways because they are regarded as temporary.
However, the good news is they do need planning permission if someone was to live in them.
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Hide AdI am surprised the council has not looked at this problem as being an extra revenue booster.
I don’t want to put ideas into their heads, but perhaps the owners of these second home mobile living accommodations could be given a choice of either paying to store their assets or paying a little more via their council tax for the near home parking privilege.
I am sure people affected by these mobile view busters would opt for the first option.
Remember the bedroom tax.
Barry Carr
Address supplied
city centre
Well done to Simon Rigby
Well done Simon Rigby, pictured. This just shows what can and should be done to make Preston a thriving city.
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Hide AdI am all for saving the city money. Perhaps he and his team could replace our totally useless council members and show what happens when it’s left to the professionals.
I am beginning to feel that Preston does have a future and, as long as assets are sold to the right people who are passionate about their own city and not just to make a quick buck – which has happened so often in
the past – the future looks rosy.
Fellow Prestonian
via email
politics
Robots sitting in the House of Lords
So, Jane says: “Robots are here!” (LEP January 13). Yes, indeed they are, Jane – and they’re also in the Houses of Parliament, all sat ‘nodding their heads’ like the ‘drinking duck ornament’ they all impersonate so well!
Darryl Ashton
Blackpool
fitness
Coming on leaps and bounds
So Parkour has been recognised as being a sport and Street Monkeys are taking it to new heights. Well, they must have come on in leaps and bounds to get this far!
Neil Swindlehurst
Walmer Bridge