Lorry Watch - up and running again

Residents held a meeting today to discuss how they ought to proceed with the Lorry Watch scheme in the Moorfield Rd and Barrows Green area that was piloted last year by Halton Trading Standards.

Unfortunately Halton Trading Standards has merged with Warrington Trading Standards and at the moment are not able to provide any support.The problems continue so the Lorry Watch scheme will start up again this Wednesday 24th.

We will have to carry out the contacting of offending haulage companies and whereas before on the advice of Trading Standards we were just noting down information we aim to take videos and photos this time.

One of the things we might be considering with companies that continue to flaunt the restrictions is to liaise with the local paper to start a 'name and shame' monthly item that would include photos. We'd prefer not to do this. It's obviously better to get people working alongside us rather than alienating them!

I'm unsure how much people are aware in Widnes but in the next ten years or so, particularly if the planned Second Mersey Crossing, (this seems to be the king pin for these new proposed developments) Ditton Rail Freight Park, Waste Recycling Plant Widnes Water Front and Bold Heath Quarry go ahead, we will be fast becoming not only the capital of waste dumpage in the UK but also Lorry World!

I emailed David Parr Cheif Executive Officer HBC a few weeks ago to ask him about his estimate of how many more HGV's there would be on Halton's roads if the Rail Freight Park went ahead. He stated that the total would be about 580 more HGV's per day.The breakup of percentage figures of HGV traffic in terms of road usage is as follows as follows:-


1.61% A56 from Liverpool

45.98% Runcorn-Widnes Bridge

4.36% M57

42.99% M62 East

5.06% M62 West


So it looks like from the Rail Freight Park development alone there will be up to 580probably plus HGV's per day. My understanding is that the Waste Recycling plant on Widnes Waterfront would be in the region of 200 extra HGV's per day.

Recent research is suggesting that 7% of children in the UK are likely to develop chest conditions owing to particulates at child height level. These fine particulates are emitted mainly from diesel vehicles (as well as incinerators) HGV's being one of the main culprits. I'm unsure whether such health statistics are factored in when decisions are made about such schemes.

Lorry Watch is going to have its work cut out!