Highways bosses are planning to ban U-turns at a major Preston junction and introduce new parking restrictions on another busy city route.
Public consultations have been launched into the proposals, which would prohibit Blackpool-bound traffic on Watery Lane in Ashton from turning around at the junction with Pedders Lane – outside McDonald’s – to head back towards Preston.
The aim of the planned change is to protect pedestrians crossing the eastbound carriageway at the traffic lights, who could be seeing the ’green man’ signal for them at the time a manoeuvre in that direction was made – putting them in the path of the U-turning vehicle.
Meanwhile, on nearby Blackpool Road, Lancashire County Council is also planning to outlaw parking on a stretch of the route in order to make bus journeys smoother.
A round-the-clock ban could be introduced from just after the junction with First Avenue through to Fairfield Avenue, on the eastbound side of the carriageway.
On the opposite side of the road, parking will be outlawed on weekdays between 7am and 7pm from Grosvenor Place, joining up with existing 24-hour restrictions at the junction with Pedders Lane and Cottam Lane.
Meanwhile, on Tulketh Brow, the current northbound parking ban between Kimberley Road and the traffic lights at Blackpool Road will be extended as far as the bus stop opposite Mafeking Road.
Outlining the reasons for its proposals, the county council says they are part of its bus service improvement plan.
“The implementation of [the] various waiting restrictions…will help to ease congestion and improve traffic flow, allowing buses to align correctly with the raised boarding area and depart safely.
“These proposals will work together with proposed Bus Stop Clearway introductions to enhance overall bus journey times for the Superbus route from Fylde into Preston city centre.”
Anybody wishing to contribute to the consultation on the U-turn ban should email tro-consultation@lancashire.gov.uk, quoting ref:LSG4\894.19651\AFR, by 25th October, while those wishing to make a submission about the parking restrictions should email the same address, by the same date, quoting ref:LSG4\894.19653\AFR.
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