Readers' letters - September 26

I am pleased there has been some coverage on the plight of residents, those on foot and those who need to use mobility aids, with regard to motorists parking on the pavement and causing an obstruction (LP September 22).

It is something we in Middleforth, and the wider Penwortham area, have wanted to highlight for quite a while.

There are a number of issues with parking on the pavement. The footway is not constructed to take the weight of vehicle, nor are the manhole covers. We often see the damage to these and they also put at risk services such as gas, electric and communications networks.

Obstructing the footpath is a serious issue.

Not only does it put at risk those with prams and young children, it also affects folk with disabilities who need to use wheelchairs or walking aids.

It places an additional risk to those who have issues with sight. A dog or a stick may be used to identify the issue, but they do not consider the wing mirrors, especially those on vans that are at head height. There is also the lack of a dropped kerb to help cross to avoid the obstruction.

Obstructing the footpath is a police matter and they should be called. Sadly, there seems to be some give and take with what constitutes an obstruction.

I have been speaking to Coun Jane Bell from Leyland who has reported similar issues via Facebook with a number of comments from those affected.

We will be contacting the police to see if we can get the vehicles back on to the roads where they belong.

There is already legal precedence as to what is an obstruction with regard to temporary traffic management laws. I feel there needs to be a standard.

I am happy to receive comments from residents with regards to this issue. Coun Jane Bell would also like to hear from residents in Seven Stars. My email address is cllr.kmartin@southribble.gov.uk and Coun Jane’s is cllr.jbell@southribble.gov.uk.

Thanks again for raising this.

Coun Keith Martin

Middleforth Ward
South Ribble Borough Council

environment

Congestion’s health impact

Further to the proposals for Cuerden and your article referring to fracking and UK pollution (LP September 12).

I was very interested to read that the UN neither condone nor condemn fracking because of insufficient evidence either way.

I was very surprised at the comment in this article stating that the United Nations show concern about traffic congestion and pollution in the UK.

The comments about the impact on our health from these problems was extremely worrying.

Bearing this in mind, can South Ribble and Lancashire County Council really press ahead with the plans for the Cuerden site?

The area is dreadfully congested at the best of times.

Twice I have been very late for meetings – and missed one altogether –due to traffic hold-ups in the last 10 days brought about by road works and motorway problems.

As for pollution, on your heads be it, LCC and SRBC, when health problems, because of traffic pollution, start to increase.

It’s not like we have doctors or hospitals to cope with anything that might increase – we can’t cope now!

Miss C R Jacobs

Address supplied

traffic

Mystery of cameras

I am intrigued about the relatively recently introduced method of revenue collection, I mean traffic control, by Lancashire County Council, that is ‘Average Speed Cameras’.

One such scheme has been installed on the A6 stretch of road between the traffic lights by the Yew Tree pub in Walton-le-Dale to the junction of London Road and Queen Street, Preston – a distance, I would guess, of between a quarter and a half mile.

I travel this route on a fairly regular basis, and always the traffic seems to travel within the speed limit both ways. However, along the length of this stretch, there are four sets of pedestrian crossing lights, plus a fifth set of lights at the junction where the buses gain access to the park and ride scheme car park on the South Ribble side of the river.

Now, it is rare to travel this distance without being stopped by at least one set of these traffic lights. This will affect the ‘average’ speed of vehicles along the whole stretch of road.

What I wonder is, how can the cameras calculate the average speed if cars are stopped along the route by one or more sets of lights ?

Are they effectively carrying out their purpose or not (whatever that real purpose is)?

Does anyone know the answer? In the meantime I remain intrigued.

A bemused Leyland resident

traffic

Change timing of traffic lights

Since children have gone back to school, there have been peak period traffic hold-ups through Walton-le-Dale.

These have been caused by changes to traffic light phasing at the New Hall Lane/London Road junction.

It is taking 30 to 45 minutes to drive to Preston from Bamber Bridge.

The timing of the lights on the A6 London Road needs to be increased to allow better traffic flow.

Steve

Cox

via email

nostalgia

Childhood memories

I loved the Keith Johnson article in the LP on Ingol and Cottam (LP Retro, September 13). I was brought up there in the 1960s and lived in Mayfield Avenue, next to Tulketh High School, from 1963-1990.

I was schooled at Cottam junior school on Tabley Lane and, reading the article, I don’t think, if I came home, I would recognise the area.

I’ve so many fond memories of Ingol that I’ve a lump in my throat when I think back to many happy days playing in the fields with my friends, and also football

on Haslam Park.

I’ve always wanted to know more about the area.

Thank you for publishing this.

Chris Freeman

via email