£1m of road safety schemes revealed for Lancashire - with half to help cyclists

Cabinet members at Lancashire County Council approved £1m worth of projects to be undertaken over the next 12 months – half of which will be dedicated to better protecting cyclists.

Across the county, £250,000 will be spent on installing powered poles on all main entrances to major towns to carry movable variable message signs displaying cycle safety messages. A further £100,000 will go on putting cameras on traffic signals at junctions where there are high rates of cycling collisions and issues with red-light jumping.

There will be three other cycle-focused schemes in specific locations, while seven general road safety upgrades will be carried out across five different districts.

The authority’s recently-appointed cabinet member for highways and transport, Charlie Edwards, said that improving safety for all road users was “one of the biggest things” that he had been contacted about since taking on the role last month.

“Road safety is something everyone is keen [to see] action on. Having met with the newly-elected Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden, it’s very clear from him that he also shares this as one of his massive objectives – I was really reassured by what he was saying about road safety,” County Cllr Edwards added.

Separately, speed limits will be reduced on nine stretches of road in the county, while traffic orders will be amended in relation to several others in order to allow enforcement of the limits currently in place.

ROAD SAFETY SCHEMES

Location of work (including county council division) and nature of project:

Chorley

A6 and Dawson Lane, Clayton with Whittle – continue advisory cycle lane through junction with distinct colour. Improved cycle lane through pedestrian crossing to Factory Lane.

Lancaster

Halton Road and Church Brow, Lancaster Rural East – traffic-calming and bus cushions; warning signs, widened centre line and edge-of-carriageway markings to visually narrow carriageway and highlight gateway into Halton.

A5105 Coastal Road, Hest Bank, Morecambe North – warning signs and edge-of-carriageway markings to visually narrow carriageway and highlight gateway into Hest Bank. Speed limit reduction to 30mph.

Preston

Sharoe Green Lane, Preston North – upgrade existing zebra crossing outside Royal Preston Hospital to a puffin crossing.

Cadley Causeway, Preston West and Preston Central West – traffic-calming, including installation of a raised zebra crossing east of the junction with Mill Lane, relocation of the eastbound bus stop and moving the existing speed camera to between St Anthony’s Drive and Dunkirk Avenue.

Ribble Valley

A59 Gisburn Road, Smithies Bridge, Ribble Valley North East – improved lining and LED road studs to reduce loss of control and collisions caused by crossing centre line.

Wyre

A6 Lancaster New Road, Cabus Junction, Wyre Rural East – improved signing of frontages and upcoming hazards around the area of the petrol station including edge of carriageway markings, and installation of “SLOW” mark and dragons’ teeth markings.

CYCLING SAFETY SCHEMES

Lancashire-wide

Targeted road safety messaging – powered poles on all main entries into major towns to carry movable variable message signs bearing cycle safety messages.

Traffic signal enforcement cameras – provision of red-light cameras at sites with cycle collisions and red-light contravention issues.

Monitoring and evaluation of cycling safety schemes throughout 2021/22.

Lancaster

Shrimp Roundabout, Morecambe South – development fund to target collisions and improve cycling facilities at the roundabout junction.

A6/M6 Junction 33, Lancaster Rural East – development fund to target collisions and improve cycling facilities at the roundabout junction.

West Lancashire

Ruff Lane, Ormskirk, West Lancashire East – traffic-calming of route from Edge Hill University to Ormskirk Town Centre, including chicanes with cycle bypass.

SPEED REDUCTIONS

Following public consultations, the county council’s cabinet has now approved the following changes:

Chorley

Moor Road, Croston, and Ulnes Walton Lane, Ulnes Walton – in preparation for introduction of average speed cameras on the A581, speed limit reductions will be introduced on side roads close to the junction with the main route.

West Lancashire

Parbold Hill and Sparrow Hill, Parbold – reduction to 40mph along the two stretches of the A5209 to bring them in line with the other parts of the route and address concerns over fluctuations in speed and the potential for accidents.

Wyre

Joe Lane, Catterall – reduction from 30mph to 20mph for the entire length of the route following completion of a new housing development.

Back Lane, Stalmine-with-Staynall, Brick House Lane, Stalmine-with-Staynall, and Moss Side Lane, Stalmine-with-Staynall – reductions from the current national speed limits following increase in housing developments in the area over time.