Blackburn councillor calls for action on ‘danger’ junction (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Blackburn councillor calls for action on ‘danger’ junction
3:54pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in News
FEARS Coun Jim Shorrock at the busy road junction
A COUNCILLOR has slammed his own party for not spending money to change a busy road junction where a “fatality is waiting to happen”.
Labour’s Shadsworth and Whitebirk councillor Jim Shorrock said that he has been campaigning for five years to change the layout or improve the signage at the junction of Accrington Road and Audley Range, Blackburn, near to Accrington Road Community Centre.
At the junction, the road splits into two lanes.
Drivers coming from Blackburn should be in the left-hand lane to go straight ahead towards Accrington, and in the right lane to go up Audley Range.
But Coun Shorrock said that a large proportion of drivers were ignoring the rules and putting others in danger.
He said: “Most taxi drivers and young drivers get in the right hand lane to carry straight on and cut everyone up.
“It’s a major problem for people living in my ward and I’m getting a lot of complaints.
“I’ve been told that the council doesn’t have any money to spend on changing anything, but they’d soon find it if a fatality happened.
“It wouldn’t cost mega money to improve the signage or to change the layout, but I don’t get any replies to my emails and I’m getting nowhere fast.
“That is a very tight right turn into Audley Range and there will be a major accident soon. It’s scandalous.”
A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: “The council is aware of the issue, but signs and road markings are already in place.
“It is down to drivers to take notice of them.”
Comments(14)
batesempire
says...
4:29pm Tue 7 Feb 12
ehh on the other hand I remember your landlord days top bloke
MHUK
says...
4:57pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Think I know why, same reason has speed humps appearing all over the town...
Taxi drivers and trainee taxi drivers.
HarwoodBiker
says...
4:58pm Tue 7 Feb 12
It's annoying because people invariably do this and then refuse to let people across who are (quite legitimately) trying to move into the turning lane!
I don't think the problem is bad signage, more idiotic drivers. The first time I came to this junction it was immediately obvious what the correct thing to do was.
I wouldn't say it was an "accident waiting to happen" so long as people look ahead when they're driving and use their mirrors - unfortunately many people don't!
Equally bad are the people who accelerate to block a driver who has positioned himself in the wrong lane, thereby setting him up for a head-on collision when he runs out of road.
If everybody was a bit less selfish and more sensible, then there wouldn't be a problem.
White Eagle
says...
5:12pm Tue 7 Feb 12
burner
says...
5:16pm Tue 7 Feb 12
happycyclist
says...
5:59pm Tue 7 Feb 12
HarwoodBiker wrote:Ah... a quick look on google streetview shows exactly what you are saying.
One of my pet peeves here is people being in the right hand lane when they intend to turn right up Fecit Brow, when it is in fact correct to be in the left lane and then move over to the right after the junction.
It's annoying because people invariably do this and then refuse to let people across who are (quite legitimately) trying to move into the turning lane!
I don't think the problem is bad signage, more idiotic drivers. The first time I came to this junction it was immediately obvious what the correct thing to do was.
I wouldn't say it was an "accident waiting to happen" so long as people look ahead when they're driving and use their mirrors - unfortunately many people don't!
Equally bad are the people who accelerate to block a driver who has positioned himself in the wrong lane, thereby setting him up for a head-on collision when he runs out of road.
If everybody was a bit less selfish and more sensible, then there wouldn't be a problem.
MHUK
says...
6:24pm Tue 7 Feb 12
mr beer belly
says...
9:54pm Tue 7 Feb 12
goz
says...
11:41pm Tue 7 Feb 12
Lifeinthemix
says...
9:50am Wed 8 Feb 12
stuff your statutory rules as i will continue to use the highways as I see fit and not based in your garbage...
if the junction is a danger you made it so, and if there is a fatality, you are responsibe as the council, regardless of the fact it is the corporate telling you what to do, that situation has arisen because of your claer inability to operate power of attorney for the people who elect you.
Whichever way you look at the situation, you are responsible.
hairy mary
says...
9:23pm Wed 8 Feb 12
retired one
says...
9:51pm Wed 8 Feb 12
goz wrote:I agree, the junction you mention at the bottom of Haslingden Road is dangerous all the time.
If the councillor wants to see a dangerous junction he should go and stand at the mini roundabout at the bottom of Haslingden rd and brandy house brow between 8am and 9am every morning. Every man for himself !!!!
Rishtonian
says...
2:04pm Thu 9 Feb 12
HarwoodBiker wrote:Easy to solve the fecit brow problem
One of my pet peeves here is people being in the right hand lane when they intend to turn right up Fecit Brow, when it is in fact correct to be in the left lane and then move over to the right after the junction.
It's annoying because people invariably do this and then refuse to let people across who are (quite legitimately) trying to move into the turning lane!
I don't think the problem is bad signage, more idiotic drivers. The first time I came to this junction it was immediately obvious what the correct thing to do was.
I wouldn't say it was an "accident waiting to happen" so long as people look ahead when they're driving and use their mirrors - unfortunately many people don't!
Equally bad are the people who accelerate to block a driver who has positioned himself in the wrong lane, thereby setting him up for a head-on collision when he runs out of road.
If everybody was a bit less selfish and more sensible, then there wouldn't be a problem.
Make it ONE WAY
Down only
happycyclist says...
4:08pm Tue 7 Feb 12
What's the solution?