Residents and Councillors in Horwich North East recently opposed a planning application by Armstrong’s Aggregates to widen the junction of George’s Lane with Chorley Old Road in order to increase the turning area for articulated lorries.
Armstrong’s said the work was necessary so that plant and equipment could be taken to the nearby Montcliffe Quarry but residents feared that there was more to the application than first appeared.
Horwich North East Ward Councillor Richard Silvester opposed the plans and spoke at Bolton Council’s Planning Committee against the Proposal along with local resident, Mabel Sharples of Wallsuches. Cllr. Silvester said that he has received many objection letters from nearby residents.
“Residents from the Bottom O’th ’Moor area, New Chapel, allsuches, Montcliffe and Matchmoor were all in touch with me about this issue,” said Cllr Silvester.
“Although Armstrong’s said that there would only be about 10 – 12 articulated lorries turning at this junction per year which is on average one per month, my residents all believed that Armstrong’s would use the junction widening as an excuse to then bring in bigger lorries for quarry work use as well; indeed there was nothing to stop them doing this.
“I organised a meeting recently with residents and an Armstrong’s representative and this possibility was not dismissed by them when asked’.
Residents also believed that the George’s Lane junction if widened would make it more dangerous for pedestrians to cross.
“The junction is already very wide now”, said Cllr. Silvester. “Many elderly residents from around Bottom O’th ’Moor catch the bus back from Horwich after shopping. The stop is unfortunately located just after the George’s Lane junction so in order to walk to New Chapel Lane, they firstly have to cross George’s Lane and then cross Chorley Old Road via a pedestrian refuge.
“It is hazardous enough now for pedestrians crossing George’s Lane and this widening proposal would make it even worse. We asked if it was possible for a pedestrian refuge to be installed in the middle of George’s Lane to help people cross safely but the answer came back from Highways that one could not be accommodated.
“Armstrong’s have never had any problems before getting plant and equipment to the quarry in all of the years it has been open and even concluded in a transport assessment four years ago that this junction worked well and that there is no problem with visibility.
“The only problem they have is if articulated lorries coming up hill from Horwich wish to turn into George’s Lane. There is a simple solution and that is to just route them from the other direction and if there is to be only one a month, then there should be no problem. The proposals therefore are completely unnecessary”.
Residents were also not happy that trees would need to be removed in Tup Row Wood adjacent to the junction corner.
Horwich Town Council recommended refusal of the plans and at Bolton Council’s Planning Committee earlier this month, the decision was unanimous to refuse the application on the grounds of road safety and the loss of trees in a conservation area.
Cllr. Silvester and residents said that they were delighted by the decision made by Bolton Council’s Planning Committee.