Residents clash over planned road closure
RESIDENTS have drawn battle lines over plans to close a town centre road.
Cheshire East Council launched a public consultation after residents complained about traffic on Coare Street, which they say is being abused by drivers using it as a cut through.
The council proposes to stop traffic cutting between Beech Lane and Westminster Road by closing Coare Street.
But a second group of residents have hit out at the plans, saying it would cause travel misery and delay emergency services trying to reach them.
Margarita Benavides, from New Hall Street, set up a facebook opposition page ‘Stop Cheshire East Closing Coare Street’ following the announcement of the proposals.
She said: “If you were asked to come up with a scheme that would have the least effect on the traffic problem whilst causing the most chaos for resi- dents, well, you couldn’t do a better job than what the council have come up with.”
The campaign, which now has 90 ‘likes’ on Facebook, urges others to object to the council before the consultation period ends.
Ann Hall, who lives on New Hall Street, parallel to Coare Street, said: “Everyone agrees the volume of cars using Coare Street is a problem, particularly for those living on it, but these plans will remove parking spaces for people after work and cause traffic chaos. Everyone will have to turn right onto Beech Lane to reach schools in the opposite direction.”
But former Mayor Lloyd Roberts, who initially called for the road closure, is still backing the proposals and has urged everyone to voice their concerns to the council. He said last year residents voted in favour of the council’s plans.
He said: “All of the 306 households in the affected area were balloted last year and the majority of respondents voted in favour of closure so to suggest a consultation hasn’t taken place is total rub- bish.”
Councillor David Brown, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, which has extended the consultation deadline until Saturday, October 10, said: “We have written to the local residents affected, informing them that these proposals have gone into a formal consultation – and if people have any concerns they should make these known during the consultation.
“All responses will be considered formally before any decision is made on road closure.”
A council spokesman said the precise closure area will depend on the outcome of the consultation.
To comment email cheshireeasttraffic@ cheshireeast.gov.uk.