Safety fears over mini-roundabout plans for prison

Safety concerns have been voiced about an "extremely unusual" six-armed mini-roundabout that would lead to a planned new prison.

Highways expert Kevin Riley queried the proposed road layout that would be introduced where the A581 Southport Road meets Ulnes Walton Lane in Chorley.

He was speaking at the reopened public inquiry into plans by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to build a 1,700-capacity jail in Ulnes Walton.

A barrister representing the government, Jenny Wigley KC, said the suggested design was, in some ways, safer than the current T-junction.

The issue of the mini-roundabout was one of the reasons the planning inspector gave for refusing an appeal by the MoJ after Chorley Council’s refusal of permission for the jail after a public inquiry two years ago.

'Deficiencies'

Mr Riley highlighted the lack of detail provided about the planned new roundabout and the fact that no modelling had been undertaken as to its likely impact.

Since then, two designs have been drawn up, the most recent of which is centred around a larger mini-roundabout than first intended, which the MoJ argues addresses deficiencies in the first blueprint which were picked up by an independent road safety audit of the plans.

In cross-examining Mr Riley, Ms. Wigley said the proposed layout would prevent HGVs from “tracking” into the opposite carriageway when negotiating the junction.

While accepting that would be an improvement, Mr Riley told the inquiry that alternative arrangements should be considered where a mini-roundabout would have more than four arms.

The inquiry will resume later this month to continue hearing roads-related evidence.

Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove last year said he was “minded to” allow the MoJ’s appeal, but only if highways issues were “satisfactorily addressed”.

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