Readers' letters - February 5

Potholes could lead to serious accident
Pothole in AdlingtonPothole in Adlington
Pothole in Adlington

I am sure we are all aware of the state of the roads in the UK, due to potholes and general wear and tear, but I honestly think that in Adlington we are in danger of developing one big sink hole.

There are two areas around Adlington that are a particular danger to drivers.

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This is the junction at Chorley Road and Westhoughton Road (at Skew Bridge) and also the area at Railway Road that meets Market Street.

I contacted Lancashire County Council Highways a couple of months ago regarding the area at Westhoughton Road and they admitted that this had been previously reported and it would be escalated as a matter of urgency.

After some weeks of inactivity, I contacted them again to get an update and at the same time reported the area of Railway Road/ Market Street.

Nothing has been done with regard to these areas and I feel that residents are being ignored.

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I took some photos at the Bolton Road and Westhoughton Road junction. I saw drivers having to swerve to avoid these craters, and I feel this neglect is going to lead to a serious accident.

I could also mention Babylon Lane and other areas, but I wouldn’t know where to end.

I have contacted various people in regard to this problem and no-one seems to care or be able to address this serious issue.

Residents are having to accept a council tax increase this year, not a huge increase but nonetheless still an increase, and yet our services are declining.

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No doubt Lancashire County Council will blame the problem on funding.

I would say the problem is caused by using second rate materials, as when I have watched any potholes being infilled in the past, it appears that instead of tarmacadam being used, a cheap slurry is used instead.

Residents deserve better.

Mr A Bennett

Adlington

community

Standing up for Sitting Down

In this, our 50th year, Anchor recognises that loneliness is nearing epidemic proportions and is something which concerns the older people living with us.

According to the Campaign To End Loneliness, more than half the country’s 75 year olds currently live alone, which increases the likelihood of mortality by 26 per cent.

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As we deliver housing, care and support to 40,000 older people from our 1,000 locations across England, Anchor does its utmost to prevent this. The older people living in retirement housing properties, like mine, benefit from living in a thriving community. I’m also around if they need any support.

That is why I welcome the Government’s decision to appoint Tracey Crouch as its Minister for Loneliness. We wish her every success.

And local retailers can also help older people, particularly those living alone, to reduce their sense of loneliness.

Anchor’s Standing Up 4 Sitting Down campaign is asking retailers to provide seating so that older shoppers, as well as disabled people and pregnant women, can rest mid-shop. A shopping trip may be a weekly chore for many but for some older people living alone, it’s a chance for social interaction and could be a life-saver.

Phyll Boulton

Manager

Guardian Close, Preston

industry

‘Self-serving fat cats profited’

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MPs have revealed that the collapsed Carillion conglomerate underpaid its workers’ pension schemes by nearly £1bn whilst still paying out shareholder dividends and executive bonuses.

The failure leaves thousands of small businesses and contractors in debt and facing bankruptcy and unemployment after Carillion couldn’t pay them for work done.

The PFI schemes in which Carillion specialised earned eye-watering profits of up to 39 per cent a year for doing very little. Meanwhile schools and hospitals pay through the nose for services, with the Daily Telegraph reporting one school being charged £2,211 to fit an outside tap.

Whilst hospitals, schools and other public services faced austerity, these fat cats enriched themselves and Carillion boss Phillip Green urged support for the Conservatives. The Tories played it both ways, awarding £1.6bn of contracts to Carillion whilst taking a £50,000 donation from a hedge fund betting on Carillion’s collapse. This self-serving shower shouldn’t be in government or running major public service contracts. It really is time we did things in a different way.

Bill Matthews

Fulwood

city centre

Sad state of phone boxes

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When you get old, you have to watch certain programmes, such as Bargain Hunt, which

the other day came from, I think, Kingston-on-Thames.

I was quite taken with the display of red phone boxes.

Very artistic!

Now I don’t go into Preston much, but it is very sad to see the line of beautiful phone boxes in Market Street in such a sad state.

Smashed glass and dumped junk abounds.

I know they will never return to their original use, but either display or dump them.

I hate to see Preston looking so run down.

ALLAN FAZACKERLEY

via email

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