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Children at risk in Blacko as road is turned into M1
Blacko
CHILDREN’S safety is being put at risk because of an influx of traffic being diverted through Blacko, according to residents and the village school.
A section of Barnoldswick Road has been shut by Lancashire County Council to allow for drainage work to take place but there are concerns motorists are speeding along the diverted road and into the village.
Since Tuesday, through traffic to and from Barnoldswick has been directed along the narrow and already congested Beverley Road where Blacko Village School lies.
Works are being carried out at the junction of Red Lane to the junction of Stone Edge Road meaning people travelling from Barnoldswick must turn right at the Cross Gaits pub, into Blacko, before dropping down into Barrowford and vice-versa. Morning and evening rush hour traffic has left the road gridlocked, with some cars reversing and making U-turns. The works are expected to last until the beginning of March.
Headteacher Mr Mark Harrison has now called for motorists to slow down and wants to make drivers aware many children walk along Beverley Road to get to school.
“We have seen a higher volume of traffic to an already busy road where cars park and wait outside the school. The road is only narrow and allows for one lane of traffic. We ask that people unfamiliar with the road be more cautious and drive at a decent speed.”
Resident Mr Tony Lund who lives next to the school described Beverley Road this week as “looking like the M1”.
“Traffic along here has always been an issue with the parked cars but people are just being intolerant,” he added.
Another resident said he had nearly been knocked over by a high speed HGV and fears for children’s safety adding, “there is no reason why anyone should want to go that fast.”
Although the road is a 30mph speed limit, the parish council has been in talks with LCC to make it a 20mph during school opening and closing times.
Blacko Parish Council vice-chairman Peter Hesketh said: “The parish council pointed out to LCC there were going to be problems at school times. I specifically went up to have a look on Tuesday and the situation wasn’t good - in fact it was horrendous.
“Adding to the problem is that people are making U-turns at the junction of Gisburn Road and Beverley Road.
“Cars are parked right up to the junction even though we have an arrangement with the Rising Sun that allows parents to park in the car park. It is totally inconsiderate.”
“Next week it will be half term and there will be lots of children heading to the park at the rec. People need to slow down.”
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road user
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 06:19 PMAnd as I passed this way yesterday I noticed there are going to be major road works outside the school beginning on Gisburn Road beginning 22 Feb until 8 Mar. How sensible is that? You send people on a diversion and then do major road works on that diversion. I use the road everyday to get to work and so far have found people considerate about pulling in and letting people past. The resident who saw a speeding HGV can't have seen it on the diversion, as HGV's are not allowed down Beverley Road so that is a different problem of HGV's speeding through Blacko on Gisburn Road and nothing to do with the diversion or road works.
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