CAMPAIGNERS opposed to Warrington Borough Council’s controversial Central6 Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes are staging another peaceful protest rally at the town hall on February 27 at 5:45pm.
They intend to protest at the Council’s response to evidence that the Central6 Street Plans are causing increased pollution. The increases were detailed in the official C6 Streets Plan – Westy LTN – Interim Monitoring Report and show a 50% increase on Kingsway South, a 20% increase on Knutsford Road and an estimated 100 Tons of additional Co2 due to extra journey miles and lengthy traffic jams.
Residents recently wrote to Councillors asking what they intended to do about the problem.
David Marshall, from the Scrap the Central6 Street Plan campaign, said: “The response from councillors to the pollution figures was shocking and unbelievable. We were told that the Council admits pollution on Winwick Road is caused by traffic but in Latchford, they say the increases are caused by the weather. However, in the official Central6 report it shows weather effects in Latchford going back to 2018 and every year in Latchford pollution falls between June and August – except in 2022 – as soon as they block Grange Avenue the Central6 pollution bombs arrive and pollution is up by 50% on Kingsway South and 20% on Knutsford Road. It is sad to see the Council contradicting its own official report and dismissing the findings of its own consultant’s published readings. They should be concluding that the Central6 Street Plan for Westy/Latchford is failing and damaging the health of residents. There comes a time when folk have to put the health of our kids and disabled residents first, a time to stop ignoring miles of daily traffic jam fumes and a time to admit the Westy/Latchford Central6 street plan has failed.”
The Rally is on 27th February outside the Town Hall gates at 5.45pm and then moves to Parr Hall for the main Council meeting. Details can be found at www.central6.org
Sources of data
C6 Streets Plan – Westy LTN – Interim Monitoring Report – October 2022 (page 23,24,25)
•Between the years 2018-2021 monitoring on Kingsway South and Knutsford Road shows pollution traditionally fell between June and August. However between June and August in 2022, as soon as the planters go down blocking Grange Avenue, there is an abnormal increase in pollution compared to those four previous years. So it is not the weather.
•At monitoring site WA92, on Kingsway South the accumulated increase is 50% more pollution than the early June figure. At monitoring site WA105 and WA115 On Knutsford Road the accumulated increase is 20% more pollution than the early June figure. So the trend is up not down.
Warrington Borough Council was offered an opportunity to comment but declined.
2 Comments
W.B.C. DONT CARE ABOUT PEOPLE OF OUR TOWN !
WE NEED HUNDREDS TO TURN UP AT THE “RALLY” OUTSIDE THE TOWN HALL AND PARR HALL AFTER THAT!
Thank heavens you continue to hold our politicians to account, unlike the other local paper, by offering them the opportunity to comment on the content of this report Gary. Their refusal will come as no surprise to many.