New Fishergate layout sees YOUR questions answered by Lancashire County Council

The new bus lane cameras at the end of Fishergate. £60 if you break the rules. Pic: Tony Worrall

New rules on how you can drive in Preston city centre and which roads you can use came into force during Monday (31 October).

It was greeted with an outpouring of anger and confusion from motorists in the city about how Fishergate is now to be used, and the surrounding streets.

Blog Preston’s coverage about the changes has reached more than 100,000 people and set Facebook alight with comments, queries and much head-scratching.

We took your burning issues about the changes to Lancashire County Council – who have brought in the new bus lane, cameras and fines.

They’ve answered the most common questions below that you’ve tabled about the Fishergate scheme.

Can traffic still come up Corporation Street and turn into Butler Street to access the railway station?
Yes. There’s no change to this.

When will the consultation happen about the new layout and when/how will this take place?
The consultation runs until after the Christmas period, when the changes will be reviewed. People can send their feedback to fishergate@lancashire.gov.uk.

Can traffic still come up Chapel Street from Winckley Square? And if so, where does it then go?
There’s no restriction for vehicles coming along Chapel St. Vehicles will be able to access Fox Street via Chapel St, for example.
When Fishergate is closed between Mount St and Corporation St, from 11am to 6pm, vehicles leave via Mount Street (as the one way has now been reversed). There are signs around the city centre, such as on London Road, to make drivers aware before they reach Chapel Street.

Can Lune Street not be made two-way?
The layout at the Fleet Street/Lune Street corner is too tight to accommodate two-way traffic. Even if this could be done, the traffic signals would also need to be changed at the junction with Ringway, affecting vehicle movements on surrounding roads. For these reasons there are no plans to change Lune Street to allow two-way traffic.

What will the best route out of the city centre be for the people of Penwortham and South Ribble?
This depends where people are travelling from and to.
Corporation St and Ringway, for example, are unchanged as routes for people travelling towards Penwortham. People can use London Road to head towards other parts of South Ribble, such as Walton-le-Dale and Bamber Bridge.
There are a variety of ways for people to travel to and from the city centre, and people can choose the one which best suits their journey and what they will be doing while in the city centre. There are a range of car parks, park and rides, and various public transport options.

What will the money from the fines be used for? Is it being collected by LCC or a private company?
Any money collected will be used to pay for the cameras and other related costs. Any additional revenue raised will be used towards road and pavement maintenance.

And for those who have forgotten, here’s the map released by the county council explaining the changes.