Residents want to carry on paying!

RESIDENTS of one of Warrington’s most sought-after residential roads have launched a campaign – to stop the borough council taking over maintenance of their road.
People living in leafy Firs Lane, Appleton, fear if the council adopt what they have always considered a private road, it will become a “rat run.”
Appleton Parish Council has agreed to support them.
Firs Lane has, for years, been considered a private road and, ironically, might still be but for residents complaining two years ago when the borough council included it in a booklet entitled “A Guide to Cycling in Warrington.”
As a result of residents challenging inclusion of the road in the booklet, borough public rights of way officer John Thorp investigated its status and came up with the view that it was an “ancient highway” maintainable by the council.
Residents have been been paying to maintain the road themselves, ever since their homes were built – and say they would sooner carry on doing so.
They claim Mr Thorp’s evidence doesn’t “stack up” and do not want the council to take over.
They believe a fully tarmaced road could become a “rat run” for motorists going to Walton Gardens or cutting through between the A56 and the A49.
A spokesman said residents preferred to maintain the road and did not want the council to undertake work bringing it up to a so-called “safe level” with speed humps.
Any change of status in the road will depend on the borough’s traffic committee – and residents will be able to raise objections.
The parish council is calling for a meeting between themselves, the residents and officers from the borough council.