Preston’s new tram bridge is ‘absolutely merited’
One of the last major infrastructure projects before local government reorganisation continues to see district council tensions play out
Hello and welcome to the latest edition of The Lancashire Lead.
One of the last big infrastructure projects to be built before district councils are abolished was opened in a blast of pomp, ceremony and civic pride to mark the Bank Holiday weekend - amid glorious sunshine too which is not very Preston.
The tram bridge story dates back to February 2019 when the old bridge was declared unsafe, and community campaigns, petitions, government funding bids, rows over ownership and land rights, all of that was settled when the ribbon was cut and the £8million bridge was unveiled.
It’s already proven hugely popular with more than 5,000 people attending the opening ceremony alone and many more taking a stroll on the bridge which crosses the Preston and South Ribble border on the River Ribble. The new deputy leader of the city council was quizzed over whether it was a good use of public funds - primarily obtained from the government’s old Levelling Up scheme - given the closeness of other crossings.
She pointed to how it was a publicly-owned and maintained bridge and crossing as being the key to its future - rather than uncertain private ownership and future for a nearby former railway bridge.
One thing is for sure, as people basked in the Bank Holiday sunshine, the people who visit Avenham Park in Preston and walk the Old Tram Road in Penwortham and Walton-le-Dale seem to like it.
Lancashire Briefing
🧪 Worried residents living close to an area of Thornton polluted by ‘forever chemicals’ raised fears about health and property prices during a busy public meeting. And they were told blood tests could be available to those living nearest to areas deemed to be ‘contaminated’ by chemicals known as PFAS, which are used in many household products but have been linked to cancer. More than 60 residents have sought help from legal experts over fears the land their homes stand on, close to the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone, are contaminated. Testing carried out by Wyre Council and the Environment Agency found one of the chemicals, PFOA, in “a majority of properties tested”, with Wyre council saying seven properties had been categorised as “high risk”.
Leigh Day partner Sarah Moore said after the meeting: ”Our independent experts were able to help answer these questions, but a lot of information about the testing undertaken by the Environment Agency and Wyre Council has not yet been published. This means that there is a significant information gap regarding the extent of the contamination and what the Council, in the first instance is intending to do about it.” Wyre Council has made it clear it has no legal remit for, nor expertise in, health matters and that these issues need to be addressed by UK Health Security Agency and Lancashire County Council, which provides public health services across the county. A spokesperson for Wyre Council said: “We are working closely with the Environment Agency to ensure that information and results are published as soon as they become available at each and every stage of the investigation.”
♻️ A Lancashire-based recycling company has been fined after attempting to illegally export plastics contaminated with household waste – including sanitary products and nappies – three times in one year. MV Recycling (UK) Ltd pleaded guilty to all three charges related to the exports and was ordered to pay £30,400 in fines and prosecution costs. The company’s sole director, Noormohammed Master, claimed on the official paperwork accompanying the waste that it was clean, uncontaminated plastics, also known as ‘Green List’ waste. MV Recycling (UK) Ltd entered into a business agreement with companies in Türkiye to carry out the scheme. After obtaining waste from other businesses in the UK, the company was caught attempting to transport containers contaminated with electricals, including wiring and circuit boards and other mixed household waste. MV Recycling (UK) Ltd has since changed its business model, moved premises, and has remained compliant since. Environment Agency checks have found no evidence of further offending and the company and its director had no previous convictions, cautions or reprimands.
🗳️Conservative and independent OWL councillors have become the new leaders of West Lancashire Council – sparking a controversial Labour comparison to indistinguishable ‘men and pigs’ from a betrayal scene in George Orwell’s book Animal Farm. Conservative and OWL councillors insist they are not a coalition but simply creating a practical arrangement to get things done. And OWL’s leader angrily rejected Labour’s comparison. The shift in power follows Labour losses in the local elections and losing control of the council. And new Reform councillors have taken their seats too for the first time. Tory Coun David Whittington was elected the new council leader while Adrian Owens of Our West Lancashire (OWL) was elected deputy at the council’s annual meeting.
Preston’s new tram bridge defended as ‘absolutely merited’ despite being short walk from existing crossing
By Ed Walker and Paul Faulkner
A new bridge costing more than £8million that’s just yards from another river crossing has been defended as ‘absolutely merited’.
Preston’s tram bridge was opened to a huge fanfare to kick off the Bank Holiday weekend and will be a publicly owned and maintained crossing.
It comes as questions were asked why such focus had been put on the bridge when an old railway bridge, which is in private ownership to a European family and is steadily deteriorating, just downstream, is already a crossing point.
Deputy leader of Preston City Council councillor Valerie Wise defended the use of the funding to restore the tram bridge crossing.
She said: “It’s symbolic, [as demonstrated by] the fact that we’ve got so many people here today. I think this is something that’s really important – and the other bridge is nowhere near as good as this one.”
Cllr Wise said of the opening ceremony: “I used to live near here and took my kids across [it], walking, cycling [and] rollerskating – it’s a real part of Preston and I’m delighted so many people are here to see it reopened.
“It’s also a good link for people on the other side of the river to come over and see [the] wonderful things that we have here in Preston, like the Harris Museum, Animate [cinema and leisure complex] and the market.”
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Lancashire Lead to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.