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Road scheme priority wrong
From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 27th Aug 1998.
I AM horrified to note that Blackburn Council is proposing to make a section of Preston New Road a no-stopping zone from St. Silas' Church to the Beardwood estate between the hours of 8-9am and 3-4pm.
This is a blatant attempt to make young children walk further, across more roads, in order to reach their school.
The three major schools in the area, Beardwood and Westholme Lower and Upper School, have an intake of children from the age of three upwards.
We should not restrict parking around or near a school. We should instead provide a safe environment for all children and parents. What are the main reasons for this action?
If it is local residents complaining, we should remember that schools have been in this area for more than 75 years and those who live in the area ought to expect extra traffic around school opening and closing times.
When purchasing a house, any sensible person would consider the locality as a whole and that if you live near a school, there are likely to be children and extra traffic.
If it is to improve traffic flow, we should remember that the use of Preston New Road has reduced substantially since the opening of the M65, for which Blackburn Council campaigned so hard.
But restrictions at the times suggested do not coincide with morning and evening rush hours and, therefore, we can only assume Blackburn Council is trying to placate a few local residents.
Where do the council's priorities lie - in placating a minority of residents living near schools by risking the safety of children as young as three?
If these proposals go ahead, cars arriving with children or collecting them will have to park on the cramped side roads, increasing the risk of accidents in these areas.
Also, children would have to cross more roads to reach school, again increasing the risk of accidents.
This proposal is being quietly introduced to ensure the minimum of public consultation and at a risk to children's safety.
Blackburn Council - Get your priorities right!
IAN HOLMES, Walden Road,
Blackburn
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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