WARD councillors say the controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) traffic scheme which has caused a storm of protest at Orford, with more than 3,600 people signing a protest petition, aims to “rebalance the streets by improving road safety.”
They are also encouraging residents to provide feedback on the trial scheme, set to come into force on June 20 for 18 months and to contact the council with any concerns.
After being contacted by Warrington-Worldwide, Ward Cllrs Claire Lloyd-Fitzgerald, Helen Milner and Morgan Tarr issued a joint statement saying: “The Orford Low Traffic Neighborhood trial aims to address a number of concerns by residents living in and around the Orford Park Area.
“For many years now the council has tried to fix road safety issues and rat runs with speed bumps and access only roads, but cars continue to flout the rules, break the law and risk people’s lives.
“The Low Traffic Neighbourhood seeks to rebalance the streets by improving road safety and encouraging other methods of travel including walking and cycling.
“We welcome all feedback about the trial, good or bad and we would encourage residents to visit www.warrington.gov.uk/central-6-streets-plan where they find more information about the scheme and contact council teams with their concerns.”
More than 3,300 people have now signed the protest petition urging the council not to implement the scheme while a further 2,600 have joined a facebook group “Warrington Residents Opposition to the Central 6 Street Plan,” launched by petition organiser Rachael Harper in less than 24 hours.
One of the key issues causing anger and upset is a proposal to introduce a “Bus Gate” on Hallfields Road for buses and taxis.
Many residents claim there has been no proper consultation saying they only found out about it via social media and press reports. They also claim they have been let down by their local councillors.
Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols has also raised concerns calling for an interim review after six months while also urging residents to contact her with their concerns.
Warrington Borough Council has responded saying they know low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) schemes will never be universally popular and that the proposed schemes are on a trial basis and will be monitored, with residents able to engage and provide feedback throughout this period.
“We welcome all feedback on this trial and would urge residents to share their views with us.”
Feedback can be provided via [email protected]
Council plan to proceed with Orford traffic scheme accepting it “will never be universally popular”
2 Comments
Closing Hallfields Road to traffic and re routing everyone up Long Lane onto Winwick Road is a disaster waiting to happen. I have 3 children, youngest is at St Margaret’s primary Long Lane and twins at Beamont High School also on Long Lane. None of the reasons given by the council make any sense. A speed camera set to 20mph due to the park is all that was needed. No other safety measures have been trialled in the 25 years I’ve lived off Orford Green. Something doesn’t sit right with me. There has to be more to this.
All the traffic from residences and businesses in the East of Warrington have three main routes into the town centre. No1,Padgate Lane past the King and Queen, No2Smith Drive/Hallfields Road,and No3 Long Lane to Winwick Road.If the council really are concerned about pollution ,congestion and safety, they should be trying to make traffic flow faster and smoother by providing more road capacity (resurrecting the Expressway extension to Winwick Road) or opening up bottleneck junctions in the area.Issuing a blanket ban over Orford will obviously just move traffic onto either Padgate Lane or Long Lane. Overwhelming these routes with diverted vehicles making longer journeys is magnifying the problem and dumping it onto other roads.