Latest news with #RibbleValley
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
MP and Preston Bus boss call for urgent action on M6 safety
The boss of a Preston bus operator has called for urgent safety improvements on the M6 after repeated closures have caused "severe disruption".Thomas Calderbank from Preston Bus has written to the transport secretary and the Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis, to explain how crashes on parts of the motorway in Lancashire have been causing chaos for drivers and raised the issue in the Commons, where she told MPs that collisions and closures had become "a monthly, if not weekly, occurrence".The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment. Mr Calderbank said he was deeply concerned about the long-term effects the traffic problems would have on "public confidence in our services".He said the motorway closures "have directly impacted our bus services, our drivers, and most importantly, our passengers".Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport Lillian Greenwood agreed to meet Ellis to discuss the issues after she raised her concerns in the House of Commons. There was a serious collision between a van and a lorry on the motorway on 15 May between junction 31a and junction M6 was also closed due to a lorry fire on 22 May near junction 31 causing delays and congestion as commuters tried to find a way Calderbank said the knock-on effect meant the private bus company experienced a month's worth of cancellations on one open letter said following the lorry fire "severe disruption" included:70 individual bus journeys, amounting to over 350 miles, had to be cancelled By 16:00 BST not a single Preston Bus service in Preston was running on timeBuses were taking well over an hour to travel between Royal Preston Hospital and the city Ellis told MPs "economic growth requires people to be able to get to work".She said: "Yet another road traffic accident has had a hugely disruptive impact on the mainly small roads around it in my constituency."Yet again, my residents in Longridge, Grimsargh and all the surrounding areas woke up to the prospect of another journey to work that takes two hours instead of 20 minutes, and this is becoming a monthly, if not weekly, occurrence." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Stephen Atkinson elected as Reform leader of Lancashire County Council
The new leader of Lancashire County Council will be Reform UK's councillor Stephen party took control of the authority after winning 53 of the 84 seats at the local elections on 1 who was leader of Ribble Valley Council before defecting from the Conservatives, was elected to the county council to represent Ribble Valley South West with 2,174 55-year-old said: "I am passionate about Lancashire and can't wait to start working to ensure the council delivers excellent services for all our residents." Born in Lancashire, the self-trained engineer started his first business venture with his brother at the age of now run an educational furniture business as well as invest in commercial and industrial properties in the county. 'Make a difference' Atkinson, who is married with two sons, describes himself as a devoted family said: "Together with my fellow councillors I will be looking to focus our policies on what is most important to residents so we can make a real difference."I'm also very much looking forward to working with officers as we build a better future for our county."Atkinson is expected to be ratified as council leader at a meeting of the full council on 22 May, Lancashire County Council Councillor Simon Evans, member for Skelmersdale Central, was elected deputy leader of the Reform UK group and is also expected to be ratified at the meeting along with councillors selected to form the sweep to victory at the local elections saw it take the seats of the leaders of both the Conservative and Labour council leader Philippa Williamson lost her seat to Reform's Graham Dalton by 29 votes, and Labour leader Matthew Tomlinson had his seat taken off him by Hannah Whalley by 440 Conservatives had previously held the council with 46 seats since 2017 having won the election then and again in 2021. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
