Latest news with #ThomasCalderbank
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Lancashire PCC joins calls for action on M6 safety over closures
Disruption caused by frequent crashes and repeated closures on a motorway is causing "gridlock" on local streets, a police and crime commissioner has PCC Clive Grunshaw has joined calls for action on the regular disruption on the M6 between junctions 28 and 33, saying the county needed "bold action and significant investment" to keep moving. The boss of a Preston bus operator previously called for urgent safety improvements on the M6 and Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis has raised concerns in the Commons over the chaos caused for drivers and Department for Transport has been contacted for comment. Thomas Calderbank from Preston Bus wrote to the transport secretary last month saying he was "deeply concerned" about the road's his own letter to Heidi Alexander, Mr Grunshaw urged the government to consider measures such as average speed cameras during peak times and a new bridge over the River Ribble between junctions 32 and 33 near Lancaster - the longest uninterrupted stretch of the M6 without an interchange. 'Ripple effect' He emphasised the knock-on effects on local roads and the increased demand on police resources to manage diverted traffic and incidents."When the M6 is closed or congested, traffic is routinely diverted through Preston and surrounding areas," he said."This places immense pressure on local roads, causing widespread disruption and gridlock."He added: "Lancashire hosts the largest motorway network outside London, serving both local commuters and significant through-traffic"The regular disruption on the M6 has a ripple effect across our communities, often bringing traffic to a standstill."He said locally "we're doing all we can", including increased police enforcement and targeted infrastructure improvements, but "we need national support to deliver long-term solutions". "To keep Lancashire moving, we need bold action and significant investment." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
MP and Preston Bus boss call for urgent action on M6 safety
The boss of a Preston bus operator has called for urgent safety improvements on the M6 after repeated closures have caused "severe disruption".Thomas Calderbank from Preston Bus has written to the transport secretary and the Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis, to explain how crashes on parts of the motorway in Lancashire have been causing chaos for drivers and raised the issue in the Commons, where she told MPs that collisions and closures had become "a monthly, if not weekly, occurrence".The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment. Mr Calderbank said he was deeply concerned about the long-term effects the traffic problems would have on "public confidence in our services".He said the motorway closures "have directly impacted our bus services, our drivers, and most importantly, our passengers".Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport Lillian Greenwood agreed to meet Ellis to discuss the issues after she raised her concerns in the House of Commons. There was a serious collision between a van and a lorry on the motorway on 15 May between junction 31a and junction M6 was also closed due to a lorry fire on 22 May near junction 31 causing delays and congestion as commuters tried to find a way Calderbank said the knock-on effect meant the private bus company experienced a month's worth of cancellations on one open letter said following the lorry fire "severe disruption" included:70 individual bus journeys, amounting to over 350 miles, had to be cancelled By 16:00 BST not a single Preston Bus service in Preston was running on timeBuses were taking well over an hour to travel between Royal Preston Hospital and the city Ellis told MPs "economic growth requires people to be able to get to work".She said: "Yet another road traffic accident has had a hugely disruptive impact on the mainly small roads around it in my constituency."Yet again, my residents in Longridge, Grimsargh and all the surrounding areas woke up to the prospect of another journey to work that takes two hours instead of 20 minutes, and this is becoming a monthly, if not weekly, occurrence." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
