Easterly view of the completed new look Fishergate with it’s ‘shared space’ highway
Today 21 October 2014, on a very windy morning indeed, the Fishergate Gateway was officially opened. Following many months of work and difficulties all round for motorists and pedestrians the road and pavement improvements are now complete. Among others there today, the opening was attended by representative councillors from Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council along with the manager of St George’s Shopping Centre.
Left to Right – Phil Barrett (LCC director of Lancashire Highway Services), County Councillor John Fillis (cabinet member for highways and transport),
Councillor John Swindells (Deputy Leader of the City Council and Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulation), Andrew Stringer (St George’s Shopping Centre Manager)
Westerly view of the completed new look Fishergate with it’s ‘shared space’ highway
Apart from a few minor finishing touches, which still remain to be completed, the Fishergate ‘shared space’ is fully functional and now is the time, for motorists and pedestrians alike, to learn how to use the highway in a shared system where no one user has the right over another.
We asked a representative of Lancashire Highways if the ‘shared space’ is safe for pedestrians with impaired vision. He told us that full consultation had been held throughout the planning and construction phases with blind and visually impaired associations and organisations who had given their advice and full approval of the road layout and operations.
County Councillor John Fillis and PCC Councillor John Swindells seen here inspecting the new look Fishergate
What are  your views on the Fishergate ‘shared space’? Let us know in the comments below.