Two local residents have launched separate petitions on Change.org, calling on Lancaster City Council to consider implementing CCTV cameras and better lighting on the cycle path between Lancaster and Morecambe.
Both petitions have were launched after an elderly woman was found with serious injuries on the path while walking her dogs, on Tuesday 5th April 2022, close to Ovangle Road, near ASDA supermarket.
Although it is currently unclear how the woman came about her injuries, a man had been seen running from the area moments before, and police launched an appeal for witnesses.
A 32-year-old man from Heysham has since been arrested in connection with the incident, but if you have any information you think may help their investigation, or call 101, quoting log 212 of Tuesday April 5th 2022.
The Petitions
Lauren Williams petition has over 150 signatures here, while Luke Edmondson has a similar petition, currently at 420 signatures, calling on the authorities to Make Our Paths Safer.
“If this can happen in daylight and the criminal is still walking the streets, it makes me sick and worried to leave my own home,” says Lauren of the recent incident. “A lot of public use the cycle path from Lancaster to Morecambe. CCTV is a must.”
“Recent events just this last week where a elderly lady was assaulted and left seriously injured… A change must happen and that is better lighting and CCTV cameras to make people feel safe walking on their own down that route,” says petitioner Luke Edmondson. “You should never be scared to leave your own home.”
“This is not an isolated incident,” notes one signee of Lauren’s petition, “there have been many other incidents, including assaults and muggings.”
“I want everyone to feel safe better lighting and CCTV just might deter a would be attacker,” a signee of Luke’s petition suggests. “It might not but the police would be better able to then identify the attacker and see exactly what occurred.”
Man arrested after assault
After police appealed for help in identifying a man who might have witnessed the assault, detectives say he has now been identified and has spoken to officers.
A police spokesman said: “We were called at around 7.30am on Tuesday (April 5) to reports the woman, who is in her 70s, was found with a serious head injury on the cycle path close to Ovangle Road.
“She was later taken to hospital for treatment and is in a serious condition.
“Following further enquiries a 32-year-old man from Heysham was arrested on suspicion of assault and remains in custody.
“While we have made an arrest, we are continuing to conduct a number of enquiries and are working hard to establish exactly what occurred.
“We are continuing to appeal for information and we would appeal to anybody who was using the cycle path, close to Asda, between 7.15am and 7.40am and who saw anybody else on the path or saw anything that seemed suspicious to please contact us.”
Detective Inspector Andy Ellis added: “We know the cycle path is busy with commuters and dog-walkers at this time of the morning so we believe there will have been people in the area who saw something potentially significant.
“Whatever you know we would ask you to get in touch straight away.”
Anybody with information should contact police on 101, quoting log 212 of April 5.
City Cycling Strategy and CCTV
A new state-of-the-art CCTV system was installed in Lancaster and Morecambe in 2018 at a cost of £100,000, replacing the network first installed in the 1990s, allowing secure remote viewing via any device connected to the internet.
As well as replacing CCTV systems in the town and city centres, two mobile CCTV cameras are being used at fly-tipping hotspots to help catch offenders.
Proposals for the new system were developed by a working group consisting of representatives from the Lancaster and Morecambe Business Improvement Districts (BID), the Chamber of Commerce and the police.
At the time, Morecambe BID and Lancaster BID committed to contributing to the annual £35,000 running costs of the system to a total of £9,000 per year and Morecambe Town Council have allocated a contribution of £5,000 per year.
The City Council is rightfully proud of its commitment to cycling, offering a map of available routes here, and has had a cycling strategy in place for decades, publishing a new City Centre-focused plan in 2020, in partnership with Lancashire County Council. In February 2021, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet voted in favour of several options that will change the way traffic, pedestrians and cyclists move through the city centre.
• You can sign Lauren Williams petition, “CCTV on cycle track”, here
• You can sign Luke Edmondson’s petition, “Make Our Paths Safer”, here
• Anybody with information about the recent assault should contact police on 101, quoting log 212 of April 5