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Concerns - Garstang Road/Whittingham Lane/Woodplumpton Road Crossroads

12th of January, 2024

Issue

  • Accidents and near misses at cross roads caused by excessive speed and/or not stopping to Give Way when travelling on Garstang Road. 
  • Continued use of Garstang Road through the village as a North/South through route and also use of Garstang Road as an access point to the West.
  • Despite the carish Council discussing the issue at almost every meeting, Lancashire County Council as the highways authority do not / will not recognise that there is a problem.
  • The Parish Council continues to lobby on residents behalf and is equally as frustrated as many residents.

Actions – To Date

Lancashire County Council

  • The Parish Council has repeatedly contacted Lancashire County Council (who are responsible for highways) about the issues at the crossroads since the bypass opened in 2018. We have escalated our concerns to councillors, officers, leaders and the Police and Crime Commissioner.
  • We have asked for additional traffic calming measures (chicane, speed bumps) and requested additional signage, illuminated signs and a change to “STOP” signs, all with no success.
  • The Parish Council has proposed for the north end of the village to be made bus only (similar to the exit at the southern end) to deter those who continue to use the village as the main north/south route, with no success. 
  • The Parish Council has proposed to petition LCC however our proposed petition wording was rejected.
  • Our county councillor has raised the issues with LCC Officers and with the cabinet member for Highways.

Speed Indication Devices (SPIDs)

  • The Parish Council has purchased SPIDs and installed these on Garstang Road, with the aim that these a) provide actionable data to prove that speeding through the village is a problem b) provide a deterrent to drivers from speeding. SPID data has been provided to the relevant authorities, but as yet has not been acted upon. The Parish Council has purchased handheld radar speed detectors and trained students at Broughton High School in their use, with the aim that this is a deterrent, with offenders being reported to the police.

“20 is Plenty”

Local Schools 

  • The Parish Council has approached local schools to launch a campaign of awareness for children (and their parents) on the issues in the village.
  • The Parish Council has purchased handheld radar speed detectors and trained students at Broughton High School in their use, with the aim that this is a deterrent, with offenders being reported to the police.

Media

  • The Parish Council has contacted Blog Preston and Lancashire Evening Post to report on the community concerns about the junction. 

Preston City Council.

  • We have raised the issues with PCC however as they are not the highways authority, while they are sympathetic, they have limited powers to intervene.

Members of Parliament

  • The Parish Council have made Ben Wallace our local MP aware and plan to engage the Conservative candidate for the new Ribble Valley constituency (Nigel Evans) on the matter. We will also engage with the other party candidates as they are announced.

Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety

  • The Parish Council has contacted LPRS and the Police asking them for more enforcement through the village. Yellow “Slow Down, Save Lives” signs have been installed.

Department of Transport. 

  • We have requested a “Stop” sign at the crossroads but regulations do not permit this, however they have said these regulations are being reviewed.

Public 

  • The Parish Council has, through noticeboards and social media, encouraged accidents and near misses to be reported to the appropriate authorities to ensure there is evidence to support our case.

Points of Clarity

  • Traffic lights generate standing traffic and increased pollution, which the village public realm works sought to avoid to improve air quality along Garstang Road.
  • The village is largely a 20mph speed limit, with the LCC website stating it is enforced, however there has been no successful enforcement of 20mph zones in Lancashire since they were put in place in 2018.
  • The left turn from Garstang Road to Woodplumpton Lane is greater than 90° and is compliant with regulations. Drivers coming from the South to head West are expected and encouraged to use James Towers Way (the bypass).
  • The completion of the Watermills Apartments, with a car park exit close to the crossroads, coupled with the size of the building has significantly increased the risk at the crossroads.
  • The distance from southern end of the village to cross roads is 0.6miles by Garstang Road. The quickest time, assuming the speed limit is adhered, is 1m 48s (0.6miles @ 20mph)
  • The distance from southern end of the village to cross roads by James Towers Way (the bypass) is 1 mile. The quickest time, assuming speed limit is adhered to, and ignoring acceleration/deceleration time is 1m 51s (0.2mi @ 30mph, 0.5mi @ at 40mph, 0.2mi at 30mph, 0.1mi @ 20mph) = (24s + 45s + 24s + 18s) 
  • Therefore there is no noticeable time saving to be had by not using the bypass assuming speed limits are adhered to.
  • Garstang Road is intentionally narrower than previously to accommodate the Guild Wheel cycle path and to reflect the nature that Garstang Road is now an unclassified road (it is no longer the A6 as widely believed) with a 20mph speed limit and to encourage slower driving through the village.
  • If drivers adhered to the speed limit, obeyed the traffic signs and used the signed route, the amount of traffic at the Give Way would be significantly reduced.

What Next?

  • We have written to LCC and the police authority requesting that they enforce the 20mph speed limit.
  • We have again requested LCC to review the crossroads. They have stated they will once the Watermills is completed and fully occupied, which it now is so we await their response
  • The Department of Transport have stated they are reviewing the “Stop” sign regulations, we will write to them again to see if there have been any changes proposed
  • The request of additional signage at the entry and exit to the village centre has as yet not been responded to. “20s plenty” have suggested flashing signs at the crossroads “Crossroads Slow Sown” but feel speed bumps are not workable on the Garstang road near the crossroads but have suggested rumble strips may help. 
  • Our City & County Councillors have supported us in this matter but their voices have not been heard.