Bridge work traffic queues
ROADWORKS which have been causing traffic misery could continue well into next year.
Works sprang up around the one way system in Ormskirk as part of repair work, sparking concerns over future plans to reduce traffic down to one lane at an historic bridge.
Temporary electricity repair work caused tailbacks by closing one lane at the controversial Derby Street Bridge - itself at the centre of a huge row over plans to close one lane in future - while United Utilities repair work took place on Aughton Street and Park Road.
Describing this week’s congestion as ‘horrendous,’ traders voiced concerns over future plans to cut one traffic lane when the bridge is repaired. The vital safety repairs on the Grade II listed bridge dating back to 1848 will cut traffic down to one lane at the bridge early next year, despite huge opposition from locals.
In the meantime, work is taking place throughout the summer until August to replace the bus station with a brand new facility including street lighting, public toilets and repaved pedestrian areas. Additional work in Moor Street until October will create a new mini roundabout at its junction with St Helens Road, including new kerbs and paving, road resurfacing and tree planting.
Fresh work is then planned for November and December on St Helens Road to create a new toucan crossing near junction with Moor Street as well as new cycle tracks and road and pavement improvements. However, work to reduce the Derby Street Bridge traffic down to one lane will still take place in early 2023 despite huge local opposition.
Speaking earlier this week on the traffic misery, sales assistant Sandra Maddocks at Stokers Furniture store on Derby Street, said the situation had been ‘horrendous,’ adding: “They have said they will permanently reduce the bridge down to one lane in future, so it will be permanently like that. I don’t think they’ve given it enough thought. Peak hours are horrendous when they close one lane.”
Councillor Adrian Owens, leader of local political party Our West Lancashire, highlighted concerns over emergency services access at the reduced passage over Derby Street Bridge, local opposition to the plans and doubts over a computer modelling system used for the plans. In a letter seen by Lancs Live and sent to Lancashire County Council, he said: “I would ask you please to explain what fault exists in your traffic modelling systems that those modelling systems can so confidently predict no congestion for a future single lane Derby Street bridge that your officers can advise you to confidently rely on the traffic modelling when these temporary roadworks with single lane running on Derby Street have so evidently resulted in congestion?
“This is something that Our West Lancashire and our councillor group; Borough Councillors of all political groups (including Conservative and Labour county councillors); and the more than 1,400 local residents who signed our petition expressed concerns about.”
Similarly, Labour West Lancashire Borough Councillor Gareth Dowling said: “I have always said the single lane is a nonsense, completely unworkable and a death knell for the town. It’s always been clear that single lane is wrong, and the county council are making an awful decision based on flawed evidence with no hint of reality.”
He added: “The county council should build a new bridge.”
Lancashire County Councillor Rob Bailey, lead member for highways and active travel, said: “The emergency roadworks which were put in place earlier this week by Electricity North West are completely different, and cannot be compared to, the scheme we’re planning for Derby Street Bridge. The ENW roadworks between Station Approach and Stanley Street prevented drivers from continuing onto Derby Street, resulting in more traffic having to stay on the oneway system, and causing longer queues at the traffic lights at Stanley Street, Moor Street, Knowsley Road and Wigan Road.
“The impact of these temporary works cannot be compared to our proposal for one-lane running over Derby Street Bridge, which have been tested using traffic models, and in practice, with a video showing traffic flowing quite freely during one-lane running available on the county council’s website. The reason we are proposing to change the traffic layout over Derby Street Bridge is to allow the footways to be widened to increase safety for pedestrians, and reduce the risk of a vehicle colliding with the bridge and endangering the railway beneath. Derby Street Bridge is Grade 2 listed, which means that it is not viable to replace, or significantly alter, the bridge without strong evidence that there is no reasonable alternative.”