Campaigners "disappointed" with highways report (From Northwich Guardian)

Campaigners "disappointed" with highways report

8:40am Thursday 18th October 2012 in News By Emma Rigby

RESIDENTS campaigning against the construction of a crematorium and memorial garden on the border of Lostock Green and Lach Dennis have been left “disappointed” and “infuriated” by the highways report produced by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC).

The plans, which will be discussed by CWAC’s strategic planning committee on October 25, have sparked controversy in both rural communities, with campaigners concerned it will increase traffic flow and affect the vitality of the villages.

However, campaigners say the highways report produced does not accurately show the dangers the crematorium could cause.

Fiona Cotton, Lostock Green resident and member of the Lach Dennis and Lostock Green Action Group (LDLG), said: “I am exceptionally disappointed and infuriated by the long awaited Highways Report.  It is not so much what is in the report that I take issue with, but it is primarily what has been left out of the report that leaves me very unhappy indeed.

“The report seems to totally ignore the safety of pedestrians within the village who regularly walk their dogs two or three times a day.

“There’s a clear problem faced by walkers at the point where the footpath ends just before the blind bend leading out of Lostock Green towards the proposed site of the crematorium.

“No mention has been made of road safety issues pertaining to horse rider safety – how can this be ignored when we have 34 horses stabled in the heart of the village?

“While an increase of 25 per cent in traffic may not be significant to the highways department, to the residents who are frequently pedestrians themselves, this is a figure which cannot and should not be ignored by the planning department and strategic planning committee when making their final decision.

“By allowing an increase of even 25 per cent in traffic would effectively mean you are allowing our village residents’ chances of personal injury to be increased by that same amount.”

Lostock Green and Lach Dennis residents plan to attend next week’s strategic planning committee meeting in force, with a coach arranged to take them to Wyvern House, Winsford.

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