A CAR dealership has been given the green light to drive ahead with plans to move to a new base despite outcry from Walton residents.

David Furness, partner at Furness Rigby, said the used car business has outgrown its current site which it leases in Chester Road.

He told planning chiefs the company wants to transform the former United Utilities land on the same road.

But at Warrington Borough Council’s development control meeting, residents argued that the move could increase traffic on a hazardous stretch of road.

Mr Furness said: “We just want to clean it up and continue our long established business at a site we can invest in.”

But Vivienne Lacey, of Walnut Tree Farm, representing a number of residents, said: “The A56 is an arterial road.

“Emergency services rely on getting to and from the motorway freely at speed. Even now they cannot.

“Ask Warrington’s ambulance drivers if this proposal is a good idea.”

Ms Lacey also said the scheme would create 80 traffic movements a day.

But this was disputed by Lee Kendall, Furness Rigby’s highways consultant, who said a ‘detailed accessment’ showed the plans would create 22 extra journeys.

Residents also clashed with experts over accident stastics for the Chester Road and Pool Lane junction.

Highways engineer Andrew Burrows said there had been one recorded minor injury collision in three years.

But Ms Lacey held up part of a broken bumper which she said was from the second of two crashes on July 9.

Stephen Taylor, of Walton Road, added: “Reported accidents do not necessarily reflect all accidents and near misses at this junction, which as a resident I can attest to being high risk.”

Furness Rigby put in an application to move to the new site in May which was refused on highway safety grounds.

But the approved plans will see the 40mph zone near the site reduced to 30mph, car transporter deliveries restricted at peak hours and double yellow lines painted to prevent hazardous parking.

Councillors also agreed an extra condition for bollards outside the site to be installed further back so motorists can view vehicles out of hours without blocking the road.

Some committee members had concerns about the scheme but felt there was no planning conditions to refuse it.

Clr Celia Jordan (Stockton Heath) was the only member to vote against the proposal.

She added: “I know the speed that traffic comes down that road from the Chester direction.

“They don’t obey 30mph now. Why should they obey it 85 metres back?

“It’s a fairly straight dual-carriageway. It looks very safe but it isn’t.”