FORMER Warrington Mayor Geoff Settle has welcomed long-awaited maintenance work on Delph Lane but says further action is urgently needed to improve safety on the busy route, amid concerns over increasing traffic from new housing developments.
Mr Settle, who renewed his campaign for improvements in September, says several highway maintenance issues have now been addressed following years of concerns from residents.
However, he believes the narrow road, changing speed limits, poor pedestrian provision and vehicles travelling at excessive speeds continue to present significant risks.
His latest update follows growing frustration among residents after the construction of the new Mill Lane roundabout, with concerns that its layout has created additional safety issues.
Mr Settle said he was pleasantly surprised to discover that some of the long-standing problems had been tackled when he returned from holiday.
He said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Highways had taken recent comments from us on board and done some maintenance.”
Among the improvements are four white SLOW markings painted on the road, two red signs warning motorists of the new road layout near the roundabout, and the cutting back of hedges to improve the visibility of existing 30mph signs and a police speed camera.
Overhanging branches above the fence at Myddelton Hall have also been cut back, although Mr Settle says the road remains extremely narrow at this point, with wing mirrors from passing vehicles regularly clashing.
He believes the improvements should have been made much earlier.
“If this had been done two years ago then it might have saved the two police officers from crashing into the Myddelton Hall gates and a trip to Warrington hospital,” he said.
Residents call for a consistent 30mph speed limit
Mr Settle has been following concerns raised on the Eyes on Peel Hall Facebook page, established by Wendy Johnson-Taylor following the Peel Hall planning inquiry.
He was among residents involved in discussions during the three-week virtual inquiry, representing nature conservation interests.
The page has since become a forum for residents to raise and scrutinise issues surrounding construction work and its impact on the surrounding road network.
Ward councillor Stuart Mann has been feeding back concerns raised by residents to developer Vistry.
Two recent comments highlighted continuing anxiety about the Mill Lane roundabout and the speed of approaching traffic.
One resident, Liz, said: “More needs to be done when you drive out of Mill Lane the cars come so fast from Delph Lane as it is 60 to 30, now they fly off the new roundabout… because much of the new roundabout is out of sight.”
Another resident, Susan, called for Delph Lane to have a consistent 30mph speed limit, pointing to Blackbrook Avenue, which she said had better footpaths and grass verges.
Mr Settle said there had been repeated calls for the different speed limits along Delph Lane to be consolidated into a uniform 30mph restriction.
He also raised concerns about drivers accelerating and overtaking dangerously as they approach the section near the water pumping station and M62 bridge, where the speed limit changes.
Drawing on his experience as an Isle of Man TT marshal, he likened the draught from some passing vehicles, particularly heavy vehicles which he says should not be using the lane, to that of a motorcycle travelling at almost 200mph.
flooding at the junction with Delph Lane
Mr Settle says his regular training runs along Delph Lane have given him first-hand experience of the problems facing pedestrians and other road users.
He remains concerned about sections where pavements are absent, leaving people on foot exposed to passing traffic.
He also reported a blocked road gully opposite the cattery near the end of Delph Lane, which caused flooding during heavy rain recently.
Water spread across the middle of the carriageway, forcing vehicles to move out to avoid it.
Mr Settle has also questioned the installation of traffic sensor wires across the road.
He said that when he submitted a Freedom of Information request for information about the equipment, Warrington Borough Council was unable to identify who had placed the wires on the road, although it supplied data from a St Helens-based organisation relating to the Mill House roundabout.
He believes the volume of traffic using Delph Lane during rush hour is now between 800 and 1,000 vehicles.
That is adding to concerns about whether the existing road infrastructure is adequate to cope with development in the surrounding area, including new housing estates and logistics centres.
Council responds to concerns
Warrington Worldwide asked Warrington Borough Council to respond to the concerns raised by Mr Settle.
A council spokesman said: “As part of the Peel Hall Inquiry, given the potential impacts of Peel Hall traffic, we sought a contribution toward a traffic management/traffic calming scheme for Delph Lane but the Inspector concluded that the requested contribution did not meet the tests of the CIL Regulations and so was excluded from the Peel Hall S106 Agreement.
“We are considering the broader network implications of development in the area, although there is no scope for the widening of Delph Lane.”
The response highlights the challenges surrounding improvements to the route, with the council acknowledging wider network implications while ruling out road widening.
Mr Settle believes further investment is needed and has suggested the council could explore government grant funding, similar to funding secured for University Place on the Birchwood Expressway, or approach the incoming Mayor of Cheshire for assistance when they take office next year.
He said: “Clearly there is still a huge amount of infrastructure work that needs to be done on Delph Lane.
“The council has no money, but can the council apply for a government grant as they did for University Place on the Birchwood Expressway or, a long-shot approach, the new Mayor of Cheshire when he takes office next year for help?”
He added: “It’s ironic so much building work is taking place in our area and the roads aren’t built for the increase in traffic generated by the new housing estates and logistic centres.”
Fresh assessment raises hopes of further action
Mr Settle acknowledged the work of Cllr Stuart Mann and Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols, who has written to the borough council about the safety concerns.
He also revealed that he met two council engineers on Friday morning while out on a training run. They were there to assess the impact of the new roundabout.
The meeting has raised hopes that further changes could follow.
While welcoming the maintenance work already completed, Mr Settle says residents need to see a longer-term response to the safety concerns, particularly as development continues across the area.
His campaign follows his September warning that Delph Lane remains a concern two years after he first raised the issue, with residents continuing to call for safer conditions for motorists and pedestrians alike.
A blind spot
