A TRAVEL plan designed to ease congestion around a Home Office training centre where 800 people are employed may prove inadequate when the economy recovers, a Warrington councillor has warned.
At present it is coping because of the Home Office is using parking spaces at other office buildings on the site at Longbarn.
But Cllr Geoff Settle (pictured) fears that when the other buildings are brought back into use and need their car parks there could be problems.
The Home Office building is at Olympic Park, off Woolston Grange Avenue.
Nearby residents claim they were never consulted when a planning application was made to revamp the building, formerly occupied by Cable and Wireless. Poulton-with-Fearnhead Parish Council says it knew nothing about the plans – and at the time of the planning application details of the applicant were kept confidential.
Cllr Settle said he and fellow councillor Graham Friend had been dealing with the “fall out” of the application for two years. They had held three public meetings and helped council officers deliver three sets of leaflets to more than 350 properties.
Cllr Friend said: “At the first meeting residents voiced their feelings very strongly about what had happened with this building. They claimed that it had been imposed and that there was no consultation – it was simply bulldozed through. The main fear was that some of the 800 Home Office employees, who didn’t have car parking spots, would be parking in front of local residents’ homes “.
In addition to drawing up the travel plan, the developers had contributed a sum of money to pay for a Toucan Crossing on Woolston Grange Avenue, dropped kerbs, a Zebra Crossing a new bus service linking the building with local railway stations, and other measures.
But the two councillors are pressing for more concessions – such as a access-only route along Harpers Road for all vehicles, not just those over 7.5 tonnes.
Cllr Settle said: “I want as many people as possible to be involved in the decision making process. We have had a great turn out for the meetings we have held so far, but we will be holding a fourth meeting later and for decisions about ‘access only’ there needs to be a very high level of demand and support from residents”
Travel plan may be inadquate
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
2 Comments
What use would an “access only road” be?
These are clearly ignored and not enforced throughout the whole town.
Hi Wireboy it is true they are very difficult to police but that is what the residents of Longbarn believe they need to bring some relief to the congestion that they face on a daily basis.
I would like to add that we have received a great deal of help and advice from two hard working council officers and local PCSOs during the two years as the S106 travel plan measures (Toucan Crossing, Zebra Crossing, Cycle way, new bus services to local railway stations etc) have been implemented.
We are also very grateful to the residents who have turn up to the community meetings, walkabouts, phoned or emailed us and expressed their views and opinions (good and bad).
Some comments have led to additions such as drop kerbs, extended pavements, keep clear signs on roads and yellow lines that have been implemented whilst others have been more stretching like the ‘access only’ and we continue to work on them.
One thing that has been produced is a document about suspected parked vehicles. Depending on how and where the vehicle is parked it gives details of who to report its details to i.e. Police, WBC or Councillors – ultimately if it is a Home Office employee then we expect the Home Office to take action as they are telling us that they have a workable travel plan.
The good news to date is that no such incidents have come to light and we very much hope that this will continue but we are not complacent.