WARNING:- Roadworks for South Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire

THE following roadworks information is with thanks from the Highways Agency and covers the roads in South Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire are as follows for the next 7 days, starting on 3 November 2008.

NEW SCHEMES

M6 (Cheshire) = Junction 18 at Holmes Chapel (essential maintenance) - closure of southbound slip road overnight for several weeks between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs from Monday, 3 November 2008.

M56 = Junctions 15 to 16, Stoak to Shotwick Park, (resurfacing) total overnight westbound closures - 21:00hrs to 06:00hrs - between Friday, 7 November 2008 and Monday, 10 November 2008.

M60 = Junction 11 at Barton (essential maintenance) - overnight closure of clockwise access slip for several weeks between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs from Tuesday, 4 November 2008.

M62 = Junction 20 at Rochdale (essential maintenance) - overnight closure of westbound access slip for several weeks between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs beginning on Monday, 3 November 2008.

M65 = Junctions 3 to 5, Pleasington to Darwen (essential maintenance) - Overnight closures of Junction 3 access Slip westbound; Junction 4 access slip eastbound and Junction 5 access slip westbound between 22:00hrs on Tuesday, 4 November 2008 and 05:00hrs on Wednesday, 5 November 2008.

Junction 6, Blackburn (essential maintenance) - Overnight closure of eastbound exit slip between 22:00hrs on Friday, 7 November 2008 and 05:00hrs on Saturday, 8 November 2008.

A56 = Exits northbound onto A679 at Huncoat and southbound onto A681 at Bent Gate (essential maintenance) - overnight closures between 22:00hrs on Friday, 7 November 2008 and 05:00hrs on Saturday, 8 November 2008.

ONGOING SCHEMES

M61 = Junctions 3 to 6, Kearsley to Middlebrook (condition surveys) - Daily hardshoulder closures ands hard shoulder and lane one closures overnight.

M60 = Junction 18, Simister Island (essential maintenance). Total overnight closure of roundabout and approaches between 22:00hrs and 05:00hrs until Wednesday, 5 November 2008.

M56 = Junctions 15 to 16 (Deeside Park Junction Improvement Scheme) - Daiy and various lane closures in both directions between 09:00hrs and 17:00hrs.    Junction 7 at Bowdon View (for reinstatement of third lane) - Daily and various lane closures at various times in both directions between 09:00hrs and 17:00hrs.

A550 = Shotwick Junction to Welsh Border (Deeside Park Junction Improvement Scheme) - Daily and various lane closures in both directions between 09:00hrs and 17:00hrs.

A5117 = Dunkirk Roundabout to Shotwick Junction ((Deeside Park Junction Improvement Scheme) - Daily and various lane closures in both directions between 09:00hrs and 17:00hrs.

A5036 = Crosby Road Junction to Switch Island (resurfacing works) - lane one closures daytime and lane closures overnight - possible total carriageway closures.

Manoeuvres drive motorists round the bend

WE spend hours learning them, but once we’ve mastered the art of turning in the road, reversing round a corner and reverse parking and successfully completed them in a driving test, it seems most of us are happy never to attempt these dreaded driving manoeuvres again.

According to a survey by Continental Tyres, 1 in 10 of the 2,000 motorists polled have never even tried a 3 point turn since passing their driving test, 25% have never attempted to reverse around a corner and 15% are yet to parallel park. 13% have also never attempted to reverse into a parking space.  And while you might think it’s the women who avoid these manoeuvres at all cost, the research reveals that men are just as guilty; 10% of the men questioned had never ever done a 3 point turn compared to 9% of women.  Even veteran drivers admitted to years of avoidance; 15% of the over 55s questioned said that they have never reverse parked, 22% had never reversed around a corner and 12% had never completed a turn in the road.

There are 3 standard manoeuvres – turning in the road (3 point turn), reversing round a corner and reverse parking – and 1 optional reversing into a parking bay manoeuvre that learner drivers are required to know how to perform. A demonstration of at least 1 of them will be required in a driving test.

Peter Robb, product manager at Continental Tyres said: “Mastering the 4 driving manoeuvres is clearly an important part of learning to drive, but seems to be the thing that most of us want to forget. It’s interesting that no matter our gender or age, these driving manoeuvres are avoided by all.”

LOCAL LIBERAL DEMOCRATS OPPOSE DESTRUCTION OF REGIONAL NEWS

LOCAL Liberal Democrats have expressed their concern at the loss of ITV regional news coverage. 

Last month ITV announced 1,000 job losses including a 40% cut in regional news staff to protect its £1 billion annual budget in the face of a worsening advertising market.  In the North West the proposals will see an 11% cut in the Manchester workforce along with Border TV being amalgamated with Tyne Tees.  Some daytime news bulletins will be dropped and the amount of regional news programming will be cut by half to just 15 minutes per week.

Liberal Democrats from across the North West voted overwhelmingly at their Autumn Conference in Manchester this weekend in support of a motion on the destruction of regional news.  Delegates endorsed a proposal to call on the government to introduce a new Broadcasting Bill that would toughen licensing requirements for the provision of regional news by independent companies.

Local Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies moved the motion and was delighted that his party colleagues shared his concerns.  He said:- “ITV is a keystone of news and current affairs in the North West and cuts in its output will be felt across the region. 

It's all part of the dumbing down of television, and as politicians draw up the rules for broadcasters we are principally to blame. Good news coverage informs and educates in ways that can make good television.

It is a vital asset we should be not be throwing away”

Jobs are expected to be lost by early December.