COUNCILLORS are calling for an urgent safety review of the M65 through East Lancashire after a string of fatal crashes. Hyndburn Council's deputy leader Cllr Noordad Aziz has tabled a motion to the authority's full meeting on Thursday night urging the audit of the motorway's accident record with a view to improving its precautions to prevent any repeat of the recent spate of deaths and injuries. He wants the review to look not just at crashes on the stretch between junctions five and eight in the borough but the whole length of the key road artery including upgrading its lighting.
Cllr Aziz's call has been backed by the authority's Tory leader Cllr Zak Khan. Recent incidents on the M65 include: * one fatality and five severe injuries after a three-car crash at junction nine in early October. * the death of a horse and four people being injured after a crash between junction eight and junction 10 last week; * the death of a 32-year-old woman in an accident in March between junctions two and three near Preston; * a crash last week on the westbound carriageway between junction three and junction two; and * the closure of the motorway in May between junction four for Blackburn and five for Guide following a crash.
The 'M65 Review' motion proposed by Cllr Aziz and seconded by Rishton ward's Cllr Kate Walsh says: "This council resolves to write to Highways England and Lancashire County Council to request an urgent review of the general safety of the M65 motorway. "Given the frequen.
