ACCORDING to recent correspondence from Blackburn with Darwen Council regarding the proposed closure of the entrance to Higher Witton Road from Buncer Lane, Blackburn, as part of traffic calming in the area, this is in conjunction with the National Cycle Network route.

This is to run from Blackburn centre across Montague Street, along Oakenhurst Road/Wensley Road then on to St Mark's Road/Rolleston Road and Higher Witton Road to Buncer Lane.

The closure of this junction will create traffic management problems as entrance to the area will only be by the Wensley Road/Rolleston Road junction and Wensley Road/St Mark's Road and the top end of Higher Witton Road will be forced into a cul-de-sac situation.

Access to emergency services will be affected as there will only be two access points. As these roads usually have double-parked vehicles on the verges, access will be difficult, particularly in the evenings.

The technical services department needs to review this option with the knowledge of the full impact that this proposal will have on the residents of this area.

The question needs to be raised: why can the cycle route not continue along Wensley Road to the junction of Buncer Lane? Why divert the route through a residential area?

J SMITH (Mrs), Higher Witton Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.