Calls for action on anti-social drivers and ‘danger’ roads

In addition, calls have also been made for speed cameras or other measures to boost drivers’ safety on the A6068 road at junctions near the village of Fence.

Various traffic issues, from anti-social drivers to the safety for all road-users, were raised at the latest meeting of Pendle Council’s Barrowford and Western Parishes Committee. Anti-social driving and speeding has also been raised at the borough’s Nelson area committee too recently.

Barrowford area councillors welcomed news that overall reported crimes and anti-social behaviour in December 2021 fell in their particular area compared with December 2020, according to Lancashire police figures (see separate report). But councillors said danger-drivers were a significant problem.

Anti-social behaviour and dangerous driving are among the top priorities for Lancashire’s recently-elected Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, and his deputy.

Speaking at this week’s Barrowford Committee meeting, Conservative Coun. Nadeem Ahmed, who is also the Leader of Pendle Council, said: ”Speeding vehicles and anti-social driving is happening in all the villages. The Deputy Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner has been talking about extra resources and getting dangerous drivers off the roads. Is anything going to happen in our area?”

Police Community Support Officer Kinga Wisniowska was at the Barrowford committee meeting and gave an update on falling crime figures.

Regarding resources for action on anti-social driving, she replied: “We have got some extra resources but we have also got a lot of people off work at the moment with covid. So even though there may be more resources you may not notice activities if other people are off work. However, we have been doing some operations on these issues. This has included getting into schools and colleges to educate youngsters about the issues.”

Coun. Ahmed added: “Residents contact me more about anti-social driving and speeding than almost any other topic, other than planning. I think we need to send out a strong message that we won’t stand for anti-social driving.

“The vehicles used are often modified cars with noisy exhausts. Some of the cars may be pretty standard but they can have new exhausts fitted, which make the noise. The replacement exhausts can be quite cheap to buy. It’s not clear what we can do to stop it without a change in the law.”

The PCSO added: “If residents can supply us with registration numbers of cars with the noisy exhausts I would be happy to make enquiries about them.”

Meanwhile, Robin Willoughby, representing Higham Parish Council, highlighted a number of worries about dangers faced by motorists along the A6068 road near Fence.

He said: “There are accidents on the access points to the road. The problems are not just about speeding. We thought about putting in some speed limits at the areas where the village is accessed, to slow traffic down. More houses are being built in the area, creating more vehicles at access points, and more heavy lorries are expected in the future too.

“We want to have talks with Lancashire County Council specifically about the A6068. I imagine there are concerns in Barrowford too. This needs to be discussed at county level. Perhaps there should be one or two speed cameras? Maybe we could attend a traffic liaison meeting with the county council? But we need to talk specifically about that road.”

Borough councillors asked Mr Willoughby if he had also spoken to the county councillor for his area? Mr Willoughby said Coun. Howard Hartley was aware but it would be useful to know how far had had got with progressing the issue.

Coun. Ahmed suggested Pendle councillors and Mr Willoughby request a meeting with Coun Hartley and other representatives. This was agreed.