Fears that proposals for Knutsford Road won't solve the problem

Wilmslow Town Council is objecting to proposals for a new Puffin crossing on Knutsford Road and the introduction of a one-way system on Church Road.

The Town Council had not been consulted on the proposals so a special meeting was called on Tuesday, 30th August, where members of the Planning Committee voted unanimously to reject the proposals because they felt they were not acceptable in their current form and require further consultation.

Councillor Gary Barton explained that the proposals put forward by Cheshire East Highways resulted from a request from Lindow Primary School for a light controlled crossing on Knutsford Road to resolve safety issues.

In addition to installing a signal controlled crossing for pedestrians, close to the junctions with Church Road, Upcast Lane and Gravel Lane, Cheshire East Highways are proposing to introduce a one way system on Church Road, from the entrance off Knutsford Road to the junction with St Johns Road - because visibility for motorists will be reduced once the crossing has been built - and relocating the bus stop lay-by that is currently on Knutsford Road to Gravel Lane to make way for the new Puffin crossing.

Wilmslow Town Council is recommending refusal of these proposals on the grounds of road traffic issues, the impact on neighbouring businesses and residents, difficulties involved in the relocation of the bus stop and the loss of existing stopping points. Fundamentally they don't believe that the proposals are going resolve the issue and they are requesting the introduction of traffic calming measures, including a 20mph speed limit and associated signage on Knutsford Road.

The meeting was attended by three people who own businesses in the area.

First to speak was Graham Hurd who has run the village store with his partner Kate for the past 14 years.

He said "This scheme will have a detrimental effect on our business, it will take away all of our trade from commuters and local tradesmen who stop on Knutsford Road to nip into our store to get newspapers, bread, milk, soft drinks and cigarettes etc before continuing on their journey. Our store will no longer be convenient for them if they have to enter the one-way system.

"We need these customer to sustain our business which has already seen a downturn in trade of 25% over the past four years with the economic recession and increased competition from supermarket express stores and online shopping services. We have already pruned our operating costs to the bare minimum losing this trade is likely to be the final straw which breaks the camel's back, which could result in our having to close the store and face significant financial losses when we have to sell our home to clear the outstanding loans on the business and freehold premises.

"Having said that our concerns are that the proposals will not actually solve the problems being experienced of congestion up Upcast Lane and speeding southbound traffic on Knutsford Road.

"There seems to have been very little thought as to the consequences of this proposal and no thought at all about what to do about the speeding southbound traffic which will run into standing traffic possibly backing up to the blind been juts beyond the junction with Gravel Lane when the signal controlled crossing is in use.

"There are no proposals to restrict the speed or to calm this traffic or to improve the signage indicating the presence of a school ahead."

Over the weekend Mr Hurd has put up a notice outside the store expressing their views about the proposal and in just three days they have collected 250 signatures from customers rejecting the proposal and asking Cheshire East to focus on addressing what they see as the route cause of the problem - speeding traffic and lack of signage.

Ian Lloyd who owns the florists on the corner of Knutsford Road and Church Road also attended the meeting.

He said "We use that junction maybe 40 or 50 times a day, exiting it and obviously it is a very bad bend. There are several near misses every day with cars speeding round. My main worries would be that definitely my customers would not turn into Church Road, they would just park on the double yellow lines - as they do already but in greater numbers which makes that corner even more accident prone.

"Also some of the lorries which come to me are huge articulated lorries, far bigger than UK lorries and I would doubt whether some could actually get around that one-way system."

Greta Wright who owns 135 Hairdressing also spoke at the meeting. She said "At the moment there are parking bays outside us and I was a little bit concerned that if the bus lay-by is going to be moved from Knutsford Road to the top of Gravel Lane, opposite me, where there's no room for a lay-by - so you'll have two buses parking alongside.

"Also, I do have rather a lot of blue badge holders that do find it very very convenient to park outside in these parking bays which they have the right to but if that is taken away I am sure a lot of the businesses will also suffer from blue badge holders not being welcome in the area."

Greta added "Also the parking bays outside the businesses are used by a lot of parents in the morning who leave the cars there whilst they walk their children to school."

Councillor Gary Barton, who is both a town councillor and ward councillor said "We are aware of the problems on Knutsford Road so that's why we have come and said it is a difficult proposal. If people are willing to make sacrifices then that's great but if they think it's too much and they don't think it will work then we understand that. That's why we have come forward with it."

After the public speaking, councillors then discussed the proposals amongst themselves.

Councillor Yvonne Warren said "It doesn't seem a particularly good place to put the crossing. I presume highways can't put it further up Knutsford Road where there isn't so much going on but it would seem with taking away the parking spaces for coaches and the shop parking and deliveries and the hairdressers it just couldn't be in a worse place for the local businesses which I think is really important."

Councillor David Jefferay said "How it's actually got this far is beyond me in terms of the road traffic issues and how it's passed some kind of health and safety assessment is beyond me.

"The movement of the bus stop around the corner that's just lunacy and congestion on Church Road, Links Road and Welton Drive is going to case cause issues and the safety issues on the corner of Knutsford Road and Church Road. Again it does not address the speeding issues that's a major shortfall in my eyes and also the impact on the neighbours and the shops."

Councillor Keith Chapman, who had spent some time speaking to local residents at the weekend, said "This is not universally opposed, so let's put some balance into it. Down Church Road quite a number of people were actually in favour for the reason that they think it might improve parking down the road. People down Links Road naturally feared more congestion with lorries coming down etc. People on Knutsford Road, quite a few were in favour but it was because they see it as a way of calming traffic down the road. The route cause is really about people speeding down that road, anything we can do to calm the traffic down there will actually help in the overall safety position.

"I had a word with the Head of Governors at the school, as I was told the school had expressed concerns and have been doing for a number of years, and the school's position (she could only put her personal point of view as they haven't had a meeting to specifically discuss this proposal) is yes they are very concerned about safety and they want this problem resolved but at the end of the day they don't want to fall out with all of their neighbours."

He added "She is making the point if there is an alternative proposal, then the school would be happy to have a meeting to consider it, they are not just holding out for the Puffin option."

Councillor Martin Watkins said "The problem is not just about Knutsford Road, it is about Upcast Lane and the school that is at the end of it. We as a council have previously discussed that we are mixing kids and cars. Let's be clear about this, if this proposal was to go ahead there is still going to be cars and kids going down Upcast Lane and this is a bigger danger than Knutsford Road is in itself.

"What I'm really concerned about here is the consultation process which has taken place up until now. I'm really concerned that there are businesses telling me that they have never ever been approached by Cheshire East over this scheme.

"As I said at the beginning, when I declared an interest, I own a convenience store and I am currently in the process of selling it and I know understand exactly where Mr Hurd is coming from because whilst there is this discussion going on it has knocked tens of thousands of pounds off his business and that's not acceptable. i don't think any council should be condoning that sort of thing. The consultation here is totally inadequate and we should say so."

Councillor Angela McPake commented "I don't think it is just about the crossing. The island is there to give you some protection. This proposal does not give you any more protection. What it does is inconvenience an awful lot of people and make fundamental changes in the area for probably not much gain. The reality is unless we do find more control then people will still speed down there and it is still unsafe."

The councillors agreed that the current proposal is not acceptable in its current format and without further consultation. In the meantime they will request that Cheshire East introduce traffic calming such as a 20mph speed limit, and associated signage.

Regarding the speed limit, Councillor Gary Barton explained "In terms of reducing speeds Cheshire East is currently looking at some 20mph limits with some trials being rolled out. The biggest problem is the police won't enforce them."

Cheshire East Council's Cabinet approved a £1m programme to install advisory 20mph zones near all schools in Cheshire East in November 2015.

The three-year programme will tackle more than 130 schools, which are located in areas with speed limits between 30mph and 60mph.

Year One (2015/16) of the programme includes sites which currently have a 30mph speed limit; there are existing complaints relating to vehicle speeds; the new speed limit can incorporate more than one school due to the close proximity of the individual sites and those schools where flashing amber warning lights are already located on the road adjacent to the school site.

Local schools to be included in Year One are Nether Alderley Primary, St Benedict's Catholic Primary and Wilmslow Grange, Styal Primary and Gorsey Bank Primary.

Year Two (2016/17) sites include all those where the current speed limit is 30 or 40mph and where there are no flashing amber warning lights located on the road adjacent to the school site. Lindow Community Primary is included in Year Two along with Dean Oak Primary, Wilmslow High School and Lacey Green Academy.

Year Three (2017/8) sites include all those where the current speed limit is above 40mph and there are no flashing amber warning lights located on the road adjacent to the school site. Mottram St Andrew Primary and St Anne's Fulshaw C of E Primary are included in Year Three of the programme.

Wilmslow Town Council are recommending refusal of the proposed puffin crossing, new one-way system and relocated bus stop on the grounds of road traffic issues, the impact on neighbouring businesses and residents, the difficulties involved with moving the bus stop, the loss of stopping places, whilst feeling that the proposal will not solve the problem.

Councillor Keith Purdom said "I'd like to send a strongly worded letter to Cheshire East about the lack of consultation with Wilmslow Town Council and also businesses in the area."

He added "This is not our decision, we can only seek to influence Cheshire East so it's great you being here and you helped us come to a conclusion you've got to tell Cheshire East and the more individual people who contact Cheshire East the better."

Local residents are requested to email their comments to Cheshire East Council, including your name and address.

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Knutsford Road