Residents call for council bosses to tackle Harpers Road issue

LONGBARN Residents’ Association’s is calling for Harpers Road to become ‘access only’ in a bid to tackle long-running parking problems.

Geoff Orange, chairman, says residents on Burnet Close and Blackburne Close have endured a high volume of parked cars during work hours.

Mr Orange and Poulton North Clr Geoff Settle (LAB) believe the problem stems from the neighbouring National Crime Agency building, with employees using residential roads ‘as an overflow car park’.

The NCA is based on the Olympic Park development, where there are other companies.

Mr Orange said: “We are having some very real problems with parking “I'm not sure it's all from the NCA building although we are convinced that its employees play a major part in the problem for residents.”

Mr Orange, Clr Settle and Clr Billy Lines-Rowlands (Poulton North – LAB) have also complained to bosses at NCA.

In a letter to Longbarn Residents’ Association, deputy director David Butler said: “The current position is that roads on the residential estate are a public highway with no access only or residential parking restrictions.

“In these circumstances, the NCA has no authority to prevent our employees or the employees of other organisations on Olympic Park from parking legally on the public highway.

“Pending any change we shall continue to reinforce internal management messages to explain to our officers that they will cause disruption and distress to our residential neighbours by choosing to park outside their homes.”

Warrington Borough Council had agreed to make Harpers Road access only, meaning it should only be used by people who live along it.

Double yellow lines will also be installed at the junction of Harpers Road and Blackburne Close.

However, Poulton with Fearnhead Parish Council has objected to not being consulted over the decision.

It will be decided at a Town Hall meeting on April 8.