PCC joins calls for action on M6 safety

Disruption caused by frequent crashes and repeated closures on a motorway is causing "gridlock" on local streets, a police and crime commissioner has said.

Lancashire 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 passengers.

The 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 safety.

In 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.

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."

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