Dangerous pedestrian crossings

Road works are nearly over on the A59 in Preston’s City Centre but not all citizens are happy about the changes.
New pedestrian crossings have been fitted at the traffic lights opposite the Wetherspoons’s pub leading up to Friargate, which according to locals are ‘a total nightmare’
Lynne Shackleton, 42, from Ashton said “I cross this road frequently and think the new crossing is very dangerous” “The green man is not very clear and I’ve seen a lot of people confused to when to cross and when it’s safe, anyone who is visually impaired would have a lot of trouble now”.
Heavy traffic causing severe delays started on the 19th November as lanes were closed and road safety workers took about re-surfacing the busy road.
“It’s very difficult to see where the cars are coming from” said Graham Webb, 53, from St Anne’s. “You can’t tell if it’s a red or green light, and there is only a small light at the side to tell you when to cross. They spent a lot of time and effort on the road but it’s only a matter of time before there is an accident.
This outcry comes after talks to scrap speed cameras in Lancashire, replacing fixed cameras with ‘average devices’ designed to make drivers aware of their speed across a large stretch of the road and of other hazards around them, instead of looking for a camera.
These devices are also to stop drivers putting on their brakes when approaching a speed camera then accelerating after passing it.

Accidents in Winter

As winter approaches motorists and pedestrians are reminded to ensure they are seen when out at night.

Winter weather always brings extra hazards for motorists, and there is an increase in casualty rates, as the nights draw in and the weather deteriorates.

Sarah Nelson, a Road Safety Adviser for Lancashire County Council says: “At this time of year we always remind road users to ensure they can be seen when out on the roads. Whether they walk, cycle or are parents with children, it’s really important we all play our part to keep safe.”
“At the Council we work with many partners across Lancashire including the Police, Lancashire Fire and Rescue, The North West Air Ambulance and Lancashire Partnership for road safety trying to make pedestrians more aware that they are at greater risk now that evenings are darker, particularly when they are out for parties during the Christmas period. We also want to remind motorists to make sure they are extra vigilant looking out for cyclists, pedestrians and children who might not be easy to see.”

The Road Safety group, set up by the council is dedicated to reducing road casualties throughout Lancashire and offers relevant and up to date road resources and advices the public on how to be safe this Christmas.

Road Traffic Accidents in the North West between September and December 2008

View Larger Map

Cosmetic surgery

Last week it was reported that the actress Sharon Stone wanted to inject her 8 year old son Roan with botox to stop his feet smelling. Cosmetic surgery seems the answer to everything in Hollywood, celebrities are going under the knife more and more now, to have parts of their bodies changed in the hope they will look better and become more famous. From liposuction, to pinning back their ears and even having part of their thigh bone shaved off, celebrities will try anything. Whatever happened to slimming pants, push up bras and in Sharon Stone's case, odour eaters. It raises the question of whether teenagers and young adults in the North West will be tempted to have some ridiculous work done in the quest to find their perfection, and the serious health risks that comes from these kinds of procedures. I wonder what the next surgery idea will be....

Welcome to my blog

I am doing this blog as part of my Digital Newsroom module and the patch I have decided to cover is health in Lancashire and the North West of England.