Residents encouraged to set up new campaign group to tackle “weighty issue”

RESIDENTS in Houghton Green are being encouraged to start up an action group to try to enforce a ‘weighty issue’ that will make one of north Warrington’s most hazardous lanes a much safer place.

They have been campaigning for Warrington Borough Council to impose a weight restriction on Delph Lane for decades.

Over the past few months, some locals noticed new 7.5t restriction signs going up on the approach to Delph Lane on Blackrook Avenue and Enfield Park Road in Cinnamon Brow and similar signs have been erected on the other side of Delph Lane in Winwick.

After making enquiries with the council’s traffic management team, residents were told that heavy vehicles had started to use the periphery of newly imposed restriction orders in the locality and action had been taken to expand the zone area to encourage wagons to stick to the road network that was safer and more appropriate. The council acted promptly, and Delph was included in the plan.

Residents were not individually informed so it took time for some eagle-eyed residents to spot the good intervention but although delighted they say the signs are being ignored.

Save Peel Hall campaigner Wendy Johnson-Taylor and fellow campaigner Geoff Settle have been battling on behalf of residents who had practically given up on the idea of ever seeing the weight restrictions imposed, and they have come up with a plan that could stop the trucks from trundling down one of the area’s most hazardous lanes.

“When the signs went up it was a bit of a mystery, so I contacted the council for more information. I was told the restrictions will be difficult to enforce so we are hoping some locals will step forward to start up an action group and monitor the heavy vehicles that are ignoring them. Once we have photos, details of registrations and companies, we can then target the fleet managers. All these vehicles are on tracking systems so it would be easy to obtain further proof. Repeat offenders could have their operators’ licence removed and they won’t want that.” Said Wendy.

She added that a similar scheme set up by residents in Glazebury is proving successful and she believes the new action group could achieve the same. “We need residents particularly on Mill Lane and ideally those living on Delph Lane to step forward. Wagons over 7.5t can only access these zones if they are visiting an establishment within the enforcement area, they cannot just drive through it. If we get enough information and proof, we can stop this.”

“Delph Lane has a history of accidents and daily near misses. It’s an old lane and extremely narrow in places with two blind bends and intermittent pavement. Two transit vans would have difficulty passing each other in certain places. Pedestrians and cyclists take their lives into their own hands using that lane. Now we have the restriction order in place we have the power to make truck drivers respect it.”

Wendy said she will be encouraging residents to come forward by posting on social media and leaflet dropping in the most effective areas.