Traffic fears over lorry factory plan (From Warrington Guardian)

Traffic fears over lorry factory plan

PLANS to move a truck manufacturing plant from Sandbach to Middlewich have generated fears about the volume of traffic on the town's roads.

Truckmaker ERF has submitted a planning application to build the factory on the Midpoint 18 employment estate, off Holmes Chapel Road.

But Middlewich and Congleton borough Clr, Mike Hunter, is afraid the new plant would create extra traffic on Booth Lane, the town's accident blackspot.

He expressed his concerns: "The majority of people who work at ERF live in Sandbach and will be travelling to and from Middlewich to work.

"In an already accident prone road like Booth Lane, we should not be asking for any more accidents. We should be trying to prevent them.

"Before any decisions are taken the town council should be able to see the plans and make a qualified judgment of the application.

"I do not think Middlewich could sustain the extra traffic movements.

Clr Hunter also commented on the positive side of the application.

He said: "There are a few issues involved in this. I welcome the proposed site because it could open up the industrial area and I do not want to see people losing jobs. There are 750 jobs based in Sandbach."

Clr Hunter suggested a way forward: "I think we should ask the council to defer the application, although we agree in principle. One reason is that I think the borough should ask Cheshire County Council to do a proper in depth study of the transportation to and from the site.

"I want the county council to do the study because it's independent then. We owe it to the people of this town.

"We can't afford to get it wrong. Although we agree with the principle and siting of ERF, we must make a proper response to these plans."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.