What can be done about the HGV's?

(The website link that was here no longer works) Last year's Parish Plan questionnaire showed that Heavy Goods Vehicles passing through the village was one of the biggest concerns residents had. Virtually everyone wanted the numbers limited. The big problem is the configuration of the M6 and the fact that the A525 is a prime route, coloured green on the maps. A truck driver will see that the road appears to be a fuel-saving cut-through to North Wales towns such as Wrexham and Holyhead. As a by-pass is very unlikely or an effective weight-limit, de-priming the road to an ordinary 'A Road' is the most likely way to achieve any change for the better.

A small Parish Plan working group is now pulling together a detailed submission to the Transport Minister. It will stress the issues of HGV's mounting pavements, or forcing other vehicles to do so, and blocking the roads. It will show the risks to pedestrians, particularly children going to school and elderly residents as they try to cross the road, and the lack of pavements in some areas. The photo shows what can happen when vehicles do crash head-on. This was taken in Stafford Street a few years ago and the resulting fire melted the road but, fortunately, did not result in casualties.

The possible arrival of 60 tonne vehicles made this all the more necessary as we want Audlem to be a vibrant, not a vibrating village! The submission would be presented to the Transport Minister by local MP Stephen O'Brien. If you have any thoughts on the subject, please let Audlem Online know. There is already a Forum topic with many ideas already received but any further thoughts will be very helpful. At its next meeting Audlem Parish Council will also discuss requesting the re-introduction of bollards at key points to stop vehicles mounting the pavement.

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