The Clitheroe - .Thursday, July 29th, 2004 No. 6,159


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PAGE 34


Skateboarders in a council office picket


by Rebecca Wright


YOUNG skateboarders picketed the borough council offices this week demanding to know why the facility in the Clitheroe Castle grounds remains shut. I t is almost two years


since the specialist skatepark was demolished amid promises of rebuild­ ing. On Tuesday, the 30- plus youngsters asked “why?” The group of skate­


boarders, bladers and bik­ ers, some of whom are pic­ tured, joined forces this week to pay a visit to the offices of Ribble Valley Borough Council, the Trinity Youth Partnership and the Text House head­ quarters of the Lancaster Foundation, the organisa­ tion heading the scheme of rebuilding the skatepark. During the summer hol­


iday break, the group - with several members who desperately need to prac­ tise for regional skating competitions - has been forced to use public areas of Clitheroe to hone skills. Public complaints have escalated after the main


Clitheroe locations for skaters have become Clitheroe Interchange, the market and Sainsbury’s car park. Clitheroe police have


reacted to complaints by moving the youngsters on, issuing warnings and send­ ing letters to parents. However, the building of


the new skatepark has been delayed and it now looks as though it could be three months before it will be opened. Ribblesdale High School


Technology College pupil Matthew Higgins (15), of Turner Street, Clitheroe, said: “We don’t want to cause trouble. ■ “All we want is a place


to practise skating. But we can’t skate anywhere for more than 10 minutes without getting moved on by the police or shouted at by people walking past. “There are some trou­


blemakers who gave the skatepark a bad reputa­ tion, but it isn’t fair that we don’t have anywhere to go because of that. “The bus station is real­


ly dangerous for the younger skaters who are at risk when the buses are flying through - they could easily get run over.” Parents are also fearing that their children are get­


ting into trouble when the situation is not their fault. Clitheroe mum Mrs


Dawn Patterson, whose son is a keen skater, said: “It is a real shame that the kids are branded as thugs and troublemakers when they just want to enjoy their hobby and simply don’t have the facilities to do it.” The plans for the


skatepark are now in the final stages of develop­ ment, and organisers want to make sure that the new one is here to stay after the previous park was deemed unsafe. Meetings with local chil­


dren will begin in the next few weeks in order to gain their views on what they want for their skatepark.


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Police target rat-run speeders in village


MOTORISTS are paying the price for using Sabden as a “rat run”. Since major work start­


ed on the A671 Whalley Road police mobile speed traps have caught more than 40 people in the last week. Following the road clo­


sure between Portfield Bar and New Marls Woods, motorists have been asked to use the A680 Accrington Road and Whalley Road, Clay- ton-le-Moors, A678 Burn­ ley Road and A6068 Padi- ham bypass. However, many have


been travelling through Sabden as a short-cut to Clitheroe - resulting in a build-up of traffic and people speeding through the 30-mile-an-hour zone. Police have set up


mobile speed cameras in the village to combat the problem. Insp. Bob Ford . of


Clitheroe Police said: “People have been travel­ ling at ridiculous speeds through the village and think they can get away with it. “We have given more


than 40 people fixed penalty notices for doing 38 m.p.h. or more, in line with national guidelines for mobile speed traps. “People have been using the village as a rat run.


There were motorcycles and cars doing in excess of 50 m.p.h., which is just unacceptable. “We are targeting the


rush hours of the morning and evening, but are car­ rying out checks at other times as well. “Sabden was already


identified as a problem area for speeding before being used as a diversion.” The roadworks will con­ tinue until Sunday,


. September 5th. • Police are also warn­


ing people to take note of the Road Closed signs - after incidents where peo­ ple have removed the signs and driven through the closed roads. Insp. Ford said: “Some


people think th a t the rules don’t apply to them. “The signs have already


had to be replaced since people have moved them to get through. “The drivers are


putting themselves at risk, especially at night, as there are trenches that have been dug out along the road. “This is highly danger­


ous as staff have been working late and will be a t risk of cars driving through. “It is extremely stupid.


Anyone caught driving. through the closed road will be prosecuted.


LLAGE NEWS ... PAGES 13,14,15 BBO’S tllielH


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