Warrington road safety plan gets criticism

Campaigners have said plans to shut some roads to cars to improve safety and the environment in Warrington will "make traffic hell".

The council aims to implement "low traffic areas" in Orford and Westy from 20 June.

Campaigner Rachael Harper said it would increase journey times and costs amid rising fuel prices.

However, Warrington Borough Council replied that disruption would be "outweighed" by health benefits.

Ms Harper said: "They're diverting [motorists] down the two busiest roads in Warrington that will make traffic hell, particularly if anything happens on the motorway.

"There have been no speed cameras, speed bumps or pedestrian crossings, so if their key issue is safety, why haven't they tried any of these things first before taking such drastic action?"

Ms Harper added that the scheme, which would block some residential streets to through traffic, would have "massive implications for the whole of Warrington".

She said many residents only found out about it recently through local media and when road signs were put up.

About 5,500 people have since signed a petition against the plan.

"We want them to delay this until they can speak to more people about this," Ms Harper said.

Local gym owner Paul Warburton said the scheme would affect "easy access" for half of his members, adding: "I don't know if our gym is going to survive that."

Russ Bowden, Labour leader of Warrington Borough Council, said the streets had been "identified as areas where there is higher-than-normal use by motorists as shortcuts, causing environmental and road safety issues".

"While the introduction of these measures may mean an initial period of some disruption to motorists due to changes in routing and travel habits, we believe this will be outweighed - once traffic patterns settle down - by the huge environmental and health benefits for the local community."

He said the authority would "listen to all feedback" and that the new scheme was being introduced on a trial basis.

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