Chatbox

Today is our judging day as UK Finalists in RHS Britain in Bloom – for the first time!

Over the last few years, we've achieved Gold (every year since 2018), Best Large Village in the NW twice, and Pride of Cheshire. Wish us good luck :)

I would like to add to the praise and messages of thanks expressed to ASET for organising the Transport Festival again this year. I would also like to say how good it was from a driver's perspective on the parade. Having lived in Audlem for several years I had always wanted to participate. That sounds easy but with the car being off the road for a couple of years, Covid interfering, a total rebuild of the car and another breakdown in the week before last year's event it was great to participate this year. From usually standing opposite the Buttermarket to watch I was amazed, driving along, how many residents of Audlem had come out of their houses with chairs and family to wave us all by. The route seemed to be lined from Corbrook right through to the playing field. This really added to the event from a participants perspective. Thanks for your waving and support all of you. A great event, one of many things Audlem is good at!

As there were delays on the M6 southbound we exited at junction 18 and drove down the Middlewich Road without any problems whatsoever.

Unfortunately there is now a smashed car on the narrow part of Longhill Lane, albeit in the farm drive, away from traffic. (Woore Rd to Windmill Lane section) I only hope whomever was involved is well and unhurt.
Longhill and Windmill Lanes are not the A525 as residents we are asking all drivers to be aware of the issues, we are not being NIMBY's...we just want all people using the lane to be SAFE.
P.S. If you are driving down these lanes at night – please be aware we have Hedgehogs! Just to bring in another chat topic :)

Does anyone know if the roadworks on the A530Middlewich Rd at Flowers Lane (Northg of Leighton Hospital) has een completed, please?

Myself and my wife visited Sunday to see the classic cars. What a wonderful turnout of cars and people. Finished off our day with the BBQ at the Bridge Inn and what a change not to be ripped off with food prices at an event. My wife also wants to take the pub dog home every time we visit. Thank you everyone for a great day out

Just a short note to say many thanks to the organisers of the Transport Festival today. So much work and it's really appreciated. Think the whole village turns out to wave the cars in!

Also good to see the old boats and traction engines at the Shroppie, superb atmosphere down there.

Same again next year :)

When I read about the green waste collection "subscription", I researched some of the alternatives and discovered that in many rural (and some not so rural) areas throughout the country, community composting schemes have been successfully set up. Some of them even receive financial support from their local council.
The schemes inevitably involve commitment from volunteers, but it occurs to me that it is worth at least bringing together the resources we already have in the village – ADAPT, ADAS and the Turnpike Field working group to see whether there is a will and a way to take charge of our own garden waste rather than subscribing to the £56 per bin charge.

Great to see Cheshire East doing its bit to reduce global warming by encouraging more smelly garden bonfires ! Perhaps as a village, we could substitute the old green bin collection day, for garden bonfire day, so at least we would all know when NOT to put our washing out to dry !

I read a story about this on AOL about a week ago, and a quick search reveals it was on the 21st July.

I know I was critical of AOL's new top 10 stories feature and maybe I was wrong!

Paying for garden waste, starting from £56 and which most probably will ramp up over the coming years, is a stealth tax reminiscent of the worsening financial situation in the country. With that, council tax has gone up this year substantially, where-as the services that we expect have declined. Prime example are the traffic lights in Green Lane since April 2022.

My proposal is to decline the green bin and to find alternative solutions, for e.g. investing into a good-size incinerator and burning it off!

https://shorturl.at/tzD37

Other ideas welcomed.

So cars parked on Cheshire street means traffic is slowed, and sometimes even halted for a few precious seconds ?- but surely this is far better for pedestrians trying to cross the road. ? Are we in danger of valuing car drivers' time above the safety of children, elderly , disabled and alike ? Unfortunately you cannot legislate for the idiots that mount the pavement or selfishly obscure the view, by parking by the chip shop /Post Office on the yellow lines (despite the proximity to the carpark). I'd take gridlock in the village, over more traffic accidents, every time,

Cheshire East Council has announced it will charge residents £56-per-year for green bin collections. The fee is the highest in the North West.
Cheshire East residents will be able to pay their garden waste collection subscription from October this year. Those that do not pay will see their green bin collections cease in December 2023.

Looking at a map of train stations in the UK;

http://accessmap.nationalrail.co.uk/

it struck me how isolated train-wise South Cheshire is. To catch a train to go south, the only real options are Crewe & Stafford, or a longer route via Whitchurch.

I am sure it's harder than it looks, but a closer train link on the West Coast Train line, e.g. in Baldwins Gate, would benefit a large catchment area.

I see both side of the argument, but surely no cars parked there, giving clear access and viewing to all traffic is better than traffic coming to a halt.
Stopping cars from forcing their way down on the pavement as someone stated.

Seems to be the same cars there daily so I'm sure the comment about affecting trade is not viable, we live in a village where residents choose to park on double yellows and think that is acceptable instead of walking 50 meters to the local car parks.

I can't find the details of this on CE website. Can anyone advise where it is or paste a web link. Thanks

I am surprised that there is no mention in the news section of the new charges for garden waste collection by Cheshire East Council of £56 per year. I imagine that this will encourage residents to consider covering green spaces with tarmac, concrete, stones, etc. At a time when we are supposed to be moving towards Net Zero and caring for the planet, this seems like an odd decision to make by councillors elected by the tax-paying public. Or will this simply encourage people to dump their garden waste?

In reply to D. M's post Problem definitely not solved. He might have a very different view if he lived in Cheshire Street, as I, and my neighbours do, and had to endure the daily stand off's between lorries, farm vehicles, milk tankers and cars coming out of the village being confronted by vehicles coming into the village and not being able to see them until the are well past the butchers, creation a situation where vehicles coming from the village are driving onto the footpath to try to squeeze past each other creating a situation where anyone walking or pushing a pushchair on the footpath on the Public hall side of the road is taking their lives in their hands at most times in the day.
I would agree something needs to be done before someone gets killed.
The only people that have a legitimate reason for parking there during the day, as opposed the the public car park opposite are the Butcher and the resident of Fox Cottage, next door, so perhaps a permit holder parking / Blue Badge Holder parking zone should be created leaving parking from Alderlyme court to Boots in place. This would provide clear vision for traffic coming into the village and slowing it down before it reached the Square

To Members of the Public: You are invited to attend an Extraordinary General Meeting of Audlem Parish Council to be held on Monday 31st July 2023 at 7.00pm in the Methodist Church, Shropshire St, Audlem, Crewe CW3 0AE.

23/60 Report from Clerk -Turnpike Field Retrospective Planning Application. To RESOLVE approval for the Clerk and Chair of Council to authorise fees relating to scale drawings and CAD drawings as set out in the email from the Planning Agent dated 24th July 2023 and circulated to members 25th July 2023

My sister in law tells me that in their village the sustainability representative collects these and takes them to Superdrug in Stafford. I have previously asked if anyone would be willing to take them to Chester or Hanley but no response. Trying again, large volume but not heavy. I have been saving ours for months now. Any help out there?

But what about the impact on our local shops?

Surely it's better to enforce the existing parking restrictions, which are totally ignored by many people. However, as the cost of doing that manually would probably be excessive could cameras be used? Be interesting to cost that out, but as most of the illegal parkers probably live close by the subsequent complaints would be interesting!

Some years ago yellow no parking lines were painted along Cheshire St. Residents considered they preferred to keep their right to park and keep it as a traffic calming device. I seem to remember cheers as the lines were removed!

interestingly, the suggestion of no parking on Cheshire Street was tried, albeit very briefly in the 1970s. Unfortunately this caused even more mayhem with drivers (yes. even back in those days !) approaching the junction with such speed, that it soon became clear very quickly, that the parked cars on Cheshire Street were serving the purpose of slowing the traffic. Needless to say it did not last long !

I stay in the left lane with my right indicator on until past the entry at 9 o clock the indicate left for Drayton. Only use the right lane when heading for A41

Does anybody want to get rid of any old garden benches (will also buy if appropriate)

It does not matter what they look like as long as they are safe to sit on. (They are going to an outdoor event)

Please call or message on 07810376067