FORMER Mayor of Warrington Geoff Settle is calling for Delph Lane at Winwick, Warrington, to be closed to pedestrians due to various highway dangers.
In addition, he is calling the Myddleton Lane Red route extended to Delph Lane for many reasons.
Geoff recently ran along Delph Lane to evaluate how safe the lane is. He used to run a five-mile route to Winwick as part of his training a couple of decades ago and since raising the issue a car collided with a wall.
He said: “I am a TT marshall of 8 years’ experience and I feel more exposed to the dangers along Delph Lane than I ever did facing riders travelling at high speed along sector 12.
“I only venture onto the live track of the race when the yellow or red flags are being waved. Safety is paramount. On Delph Lane this is a lottery.”
Fortunately, as Geoff approached the section where no footpaths exists a grey Focus slowed behind him and acted as a shield. He was forced to run in the road because there are no pavements. Having said that the road was potted and uneven. A queue of traffic formed behind him, and he felt that he was in a safe environment but he was very aware of the blind bend ahead.
People have often spoken to him about the dangers, and these were raised by the ‘Save Peel Hall Group at the Peel Hall’ Inquiry but he feels that the issues were dismissed out of hand.
Geoff’s Top NINE issues with Delph Lane.
1. Narrowness of the Lane causing vehicles to lock wing mirrors in combat, debris everywhere.
2. Flooding during heavy rainfall at the bend closest to Myddleton Lane.
3. Overgrown bushes between the waste bin (that he got WBC to site at the end of the right of way – footpath to the magic lake (Houghton Green Pool)) and the brow of the motorway bridge. People are forced out into the road to avoid the branches, it is where motorists can travel at unrestricted speeds uphill.
4. Collapsing Red Sandstone Wall between the white cottage and the bend.
5. Narrowness of the road – how can this deal with the volumes of traffic generated by 1700 newly approved homes within half a mile of the Mill House Pub end of Delph/Mill Lane.
6. Continuous Pothole repairs and re-repairs – on the Mill House side of the M62 bridge, something is wrong in the contractor’s workmanship or the underlying structure. I remember reporting this to the council when I was in office. I think that they should do as they did for me for on Cinnamon Lane and do a proper resurfacing job.
7. The surface of the bridge cracked and overgrown.
8. Three different speed restrictions within a mile! it just encourages drivers to go as fast as possible.
9. Loss of the large mirrors at the old entrance to Mr Fredericks house on the blind bend.
Geoff has written to highways to see if they can meet on site to discuss the issues.
Overgrown footpath on Delph Lane
“The Red Routes signage that was previously placed on seven routes across Warrington in 2007, were removed in 2023. This was due to studies of the frequency of collision on these routes suggesting that the signs are not influencing an improvement in road safety.
“We are aware that damage only collisions have occurred on Delph Lane and understand the reasons why drivers misjudge the alignment of the road. However, an engineering solution would require significant investment including the acquisition of private land. The injury collision history is relatively good where the incidents have occurred therefore resources cannot be redirected from other priority road safety improvements at the moment.
“In the five years up to the end of 2003, there has been two injury collisions recorded along the route. Both resulted in ‘slight’ injuries being received. One occurred on Delph Lane near to the Cloverdell Cat and Dog Hotel, and one occurred, at the junction with Mill Lane. The collision near the Cat and Dog Hotel had a contributory factor of driver impairment through distraction in the vehicle.
“Despite this, we have considered traffic engineering measures that would reduce vehicle speed and make the route less attractive to traffic. Through local consultation it was established that the requirements of larger agricultural vehicles would not be maintained, and the scheme could not be progressed.
“We have included Delph Lane in an area wide HGV movement restriction as a deterrent to the larger traffic that might attempt to travel though.”
They added: “Given the amount of rural land, overland flow may be an issue during heavy storms and cause some flooding which is a common occurrence on such roads and warning signage is deployed where possible in such circumstances. “There is no evidence that there is any issue with the road itself which is causing flooding.
“We will be speaking to the landowners, the vegetation it is their responsibility to cut this.
“We will be speaking to the landowners.
“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.
“Repairs to the carriageway channel and the drainage gulleys have been undertaken in recent years along Delph Lane and localised patching to the surface has recently been undertaken in the vicinity of the M62 overbridge. We will continue to routinely inspect the carriageway condition although there are no plans for carriageway reconstruction.
Inspection will identify where any defects are in need of attention.
“The posted speed limits reflect the road environment and the changes in speed limits provide advice to drivers of a change in the road and the need to adjust behaviour. The lowering of the national speed limit section to 40mph would result in the removal of the 40mph terminal signs at the point where northbound drivers enter a narrower highway, bordered by vegetation and with no footway. As the carriageway on the unrestricted (60mph) section is wider, higher vehicle speeds may be expected, even if the speed limit was reduced. This could result in higher speeds than present being experienced in the narrow section for northbound traffic.
“Highway mirrors in the past could only be authorised in very exceptional circumstances by the Department for Transport. Such circumstances may be locations with high numbers of collisions resulting in personal injury directly attributable to poor visibility and where all other interventions have been explored. The vast majority of mirrors on the highway are located at private accesses and will have been installed by private individuals.
“We have never had the legal powers to permit mirrors on the highway until recently. The latest revision of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions has devolved powers to permit mirrors to local authorities in accordance with locally developed policies. Further to this the council has an approved policy on such mirrors which essentially continues the long-standing policy of the Department for Transport. In general, we will not permit the installation of mirrors on the highway due to a number of safety concerns listed below:
• They can adversely affect drivers visibility as they can become dazzled by reflecting headlight beams or sunshine.
• They can lead to misjudgement of distance and speed as convex mirrors are normally used to achieve the maximum visibility.
• They can obscure the view of other road users such as motorcyclists who may be inconspicuous in a mirror.
• They can be subject to a high level of vandalism.
• They require regular maintenance to keep clean.
Council officers are in receipt of two other emails and will reply separately as there are other concerns also raised.
Cars struggle to pass
