Bid to bring in restrictions at Harpers Road is
rejected by council chiefs

WARRINGTON Borough Council has rejected an application by residents for access restrictions to be imposed on Harpers Road.

With growing concerns over obstructive parking and cars using it as a ‘rat run,’ homeowners had called for the road to be made ‘access only’ – meaning it can only be used by people who live there.

The application was turned down at a Town Hall meeting of the council’s traffic committee last Tuesday, against the recommendation of officers.

It decided residents had not demonstrated there was a problem with traffic or parking on the road, or neighbouring roads.

Geoff Orange is chairman of Longbarn Residents’ Association.

It has campaigned for several years for road restrictions to be enforced, and branded the decision ‘perverse’.

He said: “Those making the decision were completely out of touch with reality. No weight was given to the large number of supporting letters.

“Incorrect conclusions in the Harpers Road traffic survey were allowed to be told as truths which we had no chance of correcting.”

Mr Orange said the LRA will be making a formal complaint over the treatment of members, claiming many were barred from the meeting.

Clr Geoff Settle (Poulton North – LAB) had backed the application.

He said: “I am very disappointed by the traffic committee’s refusal to support the officers’ recommendation.

“I have been working with residents for many years towards such a recommendation and stood down from the committee to speak in support or the proposed order.

“We believed that we had a very strong case that would address many issues that included reducing the traffic congestion, give residents a better chance of getting on to Harpers Road during the ‘rat run’ rush hour, encourage drivers to use the designated routes, like the expressway, and address the parking issues related to the Olympic Park.”