Accrington Railways - Robert Kenyon

the Railway Company but at the Corporation’s expense. The estimates for this work to be done to the standard the Railway Company required would be in the region of £7,000 to £8,000. It was resolved the Borough Surveyor should write to the Railway Company asking them if they would be prepared to consider alternative plans for a modified and therefore less expensive scheme, which would include a footpath. April At a meeting of the Town Council, the Borough Surveyor reported he had approached the LMS with a view to them providing alternative plans for the widening of the Woodnook railway arch. A motion was moved and seconded at the last meeting that the first scheme should be put into operation as planned. On being put to a vote however, the majority of Council members voted against this motion. May The Town Council met again and the question of the Woodnook railway arch was discussed before it was decided to refer it back to the General Works Committee for further consideration. The Watch Committee met and received an application from the London, Midland & Scottish Railway Company for a road licence to ply for hire inside the Borough. This was referred to the District Advisory Committee for their consideration. June At a meeting of the General Works Committee, it was resolved to instruct the Borough Surveyor to prepare schemes for the proposed reconstruction of the railway arch over Nuttall Street, which carried the LMS lines to the south of the railway station, also plans for the bridge over the railway on Queens Road at Strawberry Bank and the viaduct arch over Blackburn Road. He was asked to produce a rough estimate for each of these proposed works, so that this Committee could recommend to the Council as to the priorities in which to carry out this work. July The General Works Committee met, when the Borough Surveyor submitted schemes for the widening of the roads over the LMS Railway on Queens Road and under the Company’s lines on Nuttall Street and the Blackburn Road viaduct arch. It was resolved that a deputation of four officials would meet with the County Surveyor and the Ministry of Transport, with regard to the Queens Road Bridge and the Blackburn Road railway arch, and with the Ministry of Transport with regard to the bridge on Nuttall Street. August At a meeting of the Highways & General Works Committee, the Town Clerk reported on a meeting with the County Surveyor on the subject of the widening under his supervision, of the Queens Road railway bridge over the railway lines, and also his meeting with the Ministry of Transport on this same project. It was stated that the Ministry of Transport would probably agree to this work if it was included in the County Council’s programme of works for 1930. If so, the Ministry would contribute a sum equal to 75% of the total costs. It was resolved that subject to this contract being forthcoming, and with any contribution from the LMS made on condition that they were absolved of any of the cost of maintaining the roadway over the bridge when the work was completed. It was recommended the Council would share equally with Lancashire County Council the balance of this work, providing it was undertaken during the 1930/31 financial year. September The Watch Committee was told that several complaints had been received about the inadequate lighting of the subway leading from Grant Street to Crossland Street, which was now the responsibility of the LMS Railway Company. It was resolved to approach the Company with a view to requesting they comply with instructions to improve the illumination of this underpass. October The Town Council met, in Committee, at the beginning of the month, when the Town Clerk submitted a communication from the County Council’s Surveyor, stating that the reconstruction of the Queens Road Railway Bridge had been discussed by his Main Roads & Bridges Committee. It had been decided that this would be one of the schemes submitted to the Ministry of Transport for the year 1930/1. In the event of a grant of 75% of the cost of this work being secured, Accrington Council would be prepared to ask the County Council to accept full responsibility for the remaining 25%, less any contributions which might be made by the LMS, this in consideration of their being relieved of all future liability for the repair and maintenance of the approaches to, and the roadway over the bridge. 1930 March At a meeting of the Watch Committee, a communication was received from the LMS stating that the lighting in the underpass connecting Grant Street to Crossland Street had been overhauled, and instructions had been given to the station staff, that they must ascertain when turning on the gas, that these lamps were burning properly.

158