How to stop Morecambe's decline

I was talking to an elderly gentleman this week. We both live in Morecambe and he has lived here for many years and he told me that he had seen Morecambe go downhill in the last twenty years. I asked why and his first thoughts were about the Arndale Centre. I like this shopping centre but I wondered what he meant so I asked. He explained that the quality of shops had worsened. I didn't get many details but I understand that we used to have a Marks and Spencer's and we don't have a bookshop. Even the Town Hall is a shadow of its former self. I suspect that he has a lot more that he could say about the decline of Morecambe.

I put forward that this decline is partly related to the traffic problems from Morecambe to the motorway and he agreed. I said customers wouldn't travel to Morecambe from the other side of Lancaster and his reply was that he doesn't go to Lancaster. I think this hurts Morecambe much more than it does Lancaster because everyone else has to go through Lancaster to get here.

There is still opposition to the link road. I keep reading the same names in the local newspaper writing about how bad the road is. There was an article just this week about the harm the link will do to one local business. I am afraid the evidence is obvious. Many major employers will not touch Morecambe because of the difficulties getting here. People will not move here if they can't get out. I think there are a lot of positives for Morecambe but unless we get behind the link road we will see further decline.

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