POPLARS and Hulme should be used for a pilot project to clamp down on cold callers, according to the ward councillors.

Clr Brian Maher and Clr John Kerr Brown (both LAB) told Monday night’s meeting of the full Warrington Borough Council that a survey of residents in the area said rogue traders was top of the list of worries of the area.

And they put a motion forward calling on the area to be home to new road signs making it a cold calling free zone.

Clr Kerr Brown said: “These signs have been developed over a number of years, most successfully at Lancashire County Council.

“We believe we need to be doing more to help out citizens and this would not be at a great cost.

“It is there to stop those with a criminal intention and to make people feel safe.

“A lot of older people feel these cold callers can be very, very threatening.”

Clr Fiona Bruce (CON – Penketh) said she had sympathy with the idea but that trading standards in Warrington would need to be involved to decide on the next best move.

She said: “There are some disadvantages in that there can be displacement to somewhere else.

“And it can attract rogue traders who think this area is a soft target.

“Trading standards would like to look at the statistics more closely and base any decision on where a pilot would be on that.”

The issue will now be discussed at the council’s executive before a decision is made.