HGV survey yesterday

Curiosity was aroused yesterday by the survey being conducted in the village by Cheshire East council officials. Gathering details of the many Heavy Goods Vehicles passing through Audlem on the A525 and A529 appeared to be the purpose of the survey.

We understand that the roads were carrying a large number of HGVs yesterday morning. One resident reported seeing a veritable convoy of large trucks passing through, comparing them, perhaps with a little exaggeration, to the road trains that blast their way across the Australian outback from Darwen to Alice Springs.

Was the survey connected to the planned removal of the A525 from the Primary Route Network recommended for HGVs, some wondered. That process of 'de-priming' is still wending its way through the Ministry of Transport following the agreement earlier this year by Cheshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire that the road should be de-primed.

Alternatively, some speculated, with the officials seated at the end of Tollgate Drive where the A525 and A529 meet, was the idea of a toll gate with charges for long-distance HGVs now being considered as a tax gathering idea in these financially hard-pressed times!

After all, Audlem Online readers who voted in the recent Vote Poll on toll charges for HGV approved the idea. 57% were in favour and 43% against tolls.

More on this if we hear what the real purpose of the survey was.

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