Transport and Logistics Network
It’s a long time since we last had a dress rehearsal at SJP for the start of season! This will give all the support staff an opportunity to ensure, like the team, we are best prepared for the 23/24 season
We will have a NEW service for our First Time V…
Leader of Blackburn[1] with Darwen Borough Council Councillor Phil Riley, said ticket offices were a ‘lifeline’ for many people.
Northern has announced plans to close the offices at the Accrington, Burnley[2] Manchester Road and Burnley Central train s…
Lancashire Police took part in a week of action codenamed Operation Vertebrae which aimed to tackle commercial vehicle crime on the motorway network.
Officers pulled commercial vehicles off the motorway network to check for illegal loads, vehicle defects or anything else that could put other road users in danger.
Four days were spent at Cuerden where the M65, M61 and M6 meet, and one day focussed on traffic leaving the port at Heysham.
£16k in fines were issued during a busy week for Lancashire Police on the county’s roads (Google)
In one incident, officers stopped a 44-tonne lorry that was being driven by someone high on cocaine.
Police also stopped a lorry that was pulling an illegally wide load of solid concrete, as well as a flatbed truck that was metal poles that had nothing holding them down.
Other stops included:
– A HGV which was carrying 11 tonnes more than it was legally allowed
– A van with no MOT, bald tyres and a host of other mechanical issues
– A tipper truck carrying a pile of cement which was too heavy for the vehicle
– A Sprinter van brought in with obvious mechanical defects including a completely collapsed front suspension. In the back of the van was a large amount of unlicensed scrap precious metal. Police said there were also “immigration offences in relation to the driver.”
Round-up of four recent cases heard at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court in July
Chief Insp Matt Willmot, of Lancashire Police’s TacOps team, said: “You may have seen us out and about, carrying out a week of surge activity to tackle commercial vehicle crime.
“Commercial vehicles make up a large percentage of traffic on our roads and it is important they comply with all laws and regulations – not least because large, heavy vehicles which aren’t following legal requirements can pose a very real danger to others. For example, an overloaded vehicle has a drastically increased braking distance, putting the driver and other motorists in danger.
“The examples we’ve given are just a small selection of the issues we’ve dealt with, but we hope they demonstrate the importance of everybody complying with the law to keep our roads safe.
Officers were supported by partner agencies including HMRC, Border Force, the Home Office immigration team, the Environment Agency and more.
354 vehicles were brought into the check sites and of those, 204 were issued with fixed penalty notices or prohibition orders by Lancashire Police.
A further 12 HGVs and 31 LGVs were handed a prohibition order by the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency.
Two HGV drivers also tested positive for drugs and of the ‘abnormal loads’ brought in, every single one was found to be non-compliant to one degree or another.
Fines totalling £16k were issued, which will go to the courts and tribunals service.
“We also hope they send a message that we, and partner agencies, will not stand for dangerous vehicles or dangerous driving on Lancashire’s roads, and we will deal robustly and proportionately with those who put other motorists in danger,” Chief Insp Willmot added.
“Our thanks go to the partner agencies who have supported the operation.”
A healthcare worker, who lives on Lawsons Road in Thornton[1], said she “missed a second day of work” as a result.
Sue Tamasa told the Blackpool[2] Gazette: “I work in a nursing home 12 hour shifts so I have lost a large amount of money, plus the home is now short staffed.”
Here’s the weather forecast for this week:
Sporadic showers are expected to hit Blackpool throughout the week (Credit: Erik Witsoe)
Monday is expected to remain dry but cloudy, with temperatures reaching around 17C in the afternoon.
The temperature is expected to drop to around 15C at 10pm.
Tuesday is expected to remain relatively dry, with light showers predicted at 11am to 3pm.
The scene in North Square, Cleveleys, following the torrential rain
The afternoon is set to be slightly sunnier, with temperatures reaching around 17C.
‘We’re trapped in our homes’: Residents’ flooding misery after heavy rainfall
Wednesday will be a slightly wetter day, with scattered rain predicted throughout the morning and afternoon.
Residents across the Fylde coast said they were trapped in their homes due to severe flooding
The rain is expected to become heavier at around 10pm.
The morning is expected to be slightly cooler, with temperatures reaching approximately 15C.
The mercury is set to reach 19C at 4pm, dropping to 16C in the evening.
It’s expected to be a slightly wet start on Thursday morning, with rain predicted between 1am and 10am.
The sun is expected to shine briefly at 1pm before turning cloudy for the rest of the day.
Lows of 15C are predicted, with highs of 19C.
A cloudy day, with a chance of light showers at 1pm.
Temperatures are expected to reach around 20C in the afternoon.
Saturday is predicted to be a sunny but wet day, with scattered showers expected throughout the morning and evening.
It will be around 14C in the morning, with temperatures expected to reach around 18C in the evening.
Another wet day with sunny intervals throughout the morning and evening.
Temperatures are expected to reach around 18C.
Earlier this month it was announced Northern plans to close the offices at the Accrington, Burnley[1] Manchester Road and Burnley Central train hubs for good.
This would just leave the ticket office at Blackburn[2] station operating, and one of just tw…