Fiona Duke Liberal Democrat

05/06/2026

National Highways notice of M55 overnight closure westbound from junction 1 to Tabley Lane, for resurfacing works.

From 15 June to 23 July, Monday to Friday, between 8pm and 6am.

Contact details below.

Here's hoping they also fix the potholes on the roundabout and clear the blocked drain. Repainting the under pass might be hoping for a bit too much...?

Preston and Wyre Liberal Democrats

02/06/2026

Our flag is on display at the Town Hall in celebration of the first day of Pride Month.

🌈 Pride month is an opportunity for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to celebrate diversity, raise awareness about LGBTQ+ rights and foster a sense of community and acceptance.

29/05/2026

Early warning of the next Cadley & Greyfriars Police and Communities Together meetings dates. Yes, we have finally got organised and got dates up to Christmas! 👀 😆

I will give a reminder closer to the time for each of them on local social media.

Following feedback at the last meeting, the Police will be putting posters up in the libraries and church halls that they use to try to increase awareness.

Preston and Wyre Liberal Democrats
Working for you all year round.

29/05/2026

*A joint statement that will be posted on local social media groups today/tomorrow (admin allowing!)*

An update on Preston Roads, Highways and Pavements

Lancashire County Council Highways team held a briefing for all LCC Preston based councillors yesterday.

Unfortunately Reform and Labour councillors did not attend.

Nevertheless other councillors were able to raise our significant concerns over a number of issues.

1. Potholes, and general road surface issues.

The Highways team acknowledged there had been significant delays and problems and assured us they were (gradually) getting around all potholes which meet the criteria.

The criteria are: if a pothole is deeper than 100mm (about the size of a can of coke!) it will be dealt with within 5 days, as an emergency; if it is between 40mm and 99mm (the size of a golf ball) it will be filled within 20 days.

LCC acknowledged that over the last few months they had not met their targets but were now catching up on outstanding works. Some good news – Blackpool Road (by the King Kod chippy) is being resurfaced in the next few days.

2. Some roads (eg Watling St Road, Lytham Road and St Vincent's Road) the issue is not ‘pot holes’ but deterioration of the top road surface. At present these roads do not meet ‘pot hole criteria’. We raised serious objections to this, pointing out how unsafe these roads were for drivers, motorbikes, cyclists and the disabled. For work to be undertaken on these roads they will need to be included in next year’s work plan (which is decided in November). We will continue to raise the state of these roads, will push for a policy change to make them a priority, but it would be helpful if all who are able (all who have access to the ‘love our clean streets’ app) to report and complain so the ‘data’ indicates a significant problem. Please add photos if you can.

3. Drains. Preston drains are now in the midst of their annual clean. This will continue until November. If you have a specific drain that is flooding, let us know and we will report it. We raised significant concerns about the drains on Garstang Road (at the library) which are permanently blocked. LCC agreed to give us a date for when these works will take place.

4. Trees. We raised concerns about the height and root spread of trees, especially in Fishwick, St Matts, Deepdale and Ashton. We demanded that a review is undertaken to consider impact on pavements and housing (from root spread).

5. Parking. Please note cars parked on pavements to avoid double yellow lines will be ticketed by parking enforcement teams. Badly parked cars pushing pedestrians into the road to get past is not acceptable. Let us know where this is a problem and we will ask LCC enforcement officers to attend. This includes evenings and weekends.

We will give further updates after our next meeting with the Highways team.

Cllr Michael Lavalette

Cllr Fiona Duke

Cllr Mark Jewell

Cllr John Potter

Cllr Almas Razakazi

28/05/2026

Today I attended a Lancashire County Council Highways meeting for Preston County Councillors. Only the Lib Dems and Independent county councillors turned up.

We raised lots of your concerns, including lack of resurfacing for Watling Street Road, St Vincent's Road and Lytham Road. The fact that road resurfacing problems doesn't fit their potholes policy was raised, and it doesn't take into account cyclists or pedestrians. Something for us to collectively put pressure on to get it improved...

The Garstang Road resurfacing comms were raised as not being good enough. More detailed road closure timescales and bus routes links need to be shared with residents and to a wider audience given the hospital users/staff. They said they would look into making improvements.

I also stopped off to talk to Withy Road/York Ave residents on my way home, and saw drivers moving cones out of the way to get around the road closure by the Shell Garage. This has been fed back to LCC with a request for improved signage and advice to drivers trying to get home. Our PCSO's have also visited site to ensure the area is safe. And Highways have agreed to attend one of our PACT meetings to take questions from residents.

The Garstang Road pedestrian crossing by the Post Office and a lack of feedback on a repair programne was raised. Apparently it is 'being planned' and they will give me an estimated start date (I previously was told to expect this in Nov 25). 🙄

A lack of pavement repairs and disabled accessibility was also raised by all councillors. And how dangerous the roads are for cyclists with big delays in pothole repairs. Their 20 day deadline for fixes is a joke.

So I will keep going with my long list of asks for residents, and try to get feedback on the rest of them.

Not a very satisfactory meeting, but it was good to feel heard for once. They should run these every quarter with us instead of yearly...

Preston and Wyre Liberal Democrats Working for you all year round

26/05/2026

ℹ️ UPDATE on Garstang Road works 27/05/26: Thanks so much for all your questions about this work 👍

We’ve got three phases of surface dressing planned on Garstang Road, with a diversion in place on Eastway. The work will run from the Eastway junction to Blackpool Road between 9am and 4pm during the school holidays to help reduce disruption. If it does run into the following week, hours will be reduced to 9am–3pm.

The work was due to start yesterday (26th) but had to be postponed because the road surface was too hot for the treatment to be effective. Teams started earlier this morning to progress with section 1 (Eastway to Sharoe Green Lane) under alternative traffic management where it was safe to do so. By then end of today, application 1 will be complete in section 1. We will be using this method on section 2 (Sharoe Green Lane to Watling Street Road) tomorrow (28/05/2026) and using convoy traffic management where it is safe to do so before the road surface temperatures reach levels that would be detrimental to the treatment.

Access for buses and emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times 🚍🚑

Original post: 🚧 26/05/26 Update: Garstang Road, Preston surface dressing

Due to high road temperatures, we’ve not been able to progress the surface dressing works on Garstang Road today as planned.

Surface dressing is very temperature-sensitive, and conditions have not been suitable for the material to be applied safely.

Our teams will be testing the road again tomorrow morning between 6am and 8am, with a Stop & Go system in place while these checks are carried out. This will help us determine whether work can begin. We’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more information.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

25/05/2026

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Tomorrow (Tues 26 May) 10.30am
Our gardening group will be receiving a large delivery of new plants for the flower borders on the park.

As nice as this sunny weather is, it's not great for baby plants!! We need to get them in the ground ASAP and have a team of people on water runs to the pavillion.

Are you free? Please come and help if you can.
Bring a trowel and gloves, maybe even buckets or barrows.

25/05/2026

It's not often that a local councillor helps break a story with the Financial Times. Well done Cllr Ben Ward! The scandal of Children's Homes in Lancashire is far outstripping local need...

Booming sector is attracting plumbers, hairdressers and Airbnb landlords with no experience in care

22/05/2026

Bike marking event coming to Fulwood Leisure Centre. Keep your bike safe 🚲

Join us on the 22nd May, 3.00pm – 4:30pm for our upcoming Bike Marking Event in partnership with Lancashire Police.

Get a free tamper-proof marking for your bike and register it on a national database - helping to deter theft and increase the chances of recovery.

✅ Quick and easy
✅ Helps recover stolen bikes
✅ Completely free

No booking needed.

22/05/2026

Garstang Road, Preston, will be closed daily from 09:00 until 15:30 on 26/05/2026 until 09/06/2026 to enable surface dressing works to take place.

The order and diversion routes are attached. The same stretches of road closure as last time. Eastway to Black Bull Lane, Black Bull Lane to Watling Street Road and Watling Street Road to Blackpool Road.

I have asked LCC officers for feedback on bus diversion routes. A particular concerns with us being in exam season.

Preston and Wyre Liberal Democrats