HGV shortcut causes chaos for households
FAMILIES in Runcorn have slated the ‘chaos’ they have had to deal with because of cars and HGVs using a side street as a shortcut despite a road closure in place.
One household said it has had to contend with multiple incidents of lorries clipping its wall while trying to take the corner from Greenway Road into Oakmere Street – with one car transporter even being caught on camera as it smashed through a drainpipe and satellite dish.
One grandparent and one parent have reported having to pull children out of harm’s way because of lorries ignoring the ‘residents access only’ signs and trying to cut through Oakmere Street and Okell Street.
A supposed road closure has been in place since September 30, due to last five weeks, due to the demolition of the Trumpet Loop RuncornWidnes bridge flyover and construction of a roundabout.
After residents spoke to the Weekly News, Halton Borough Council installed a barrier at the northern end of Okell Street and one on the corner of the Greenway Road and Oakmere Street junction, after around three weeks of
● trouble.
However, when the Weekly News visited the scene, some vehicles were still cutting past the ‘residents only access’ and ‘no HGVs’ signs on Greenway Road, before becoming stuck on Okell Street and having to perform reverse three-point turns to extricate themselves.
Likewise cars coming the other way were having to turn round, and one resident was seen to leave their car to remove a traffic cone before driving over the pavement.
The video clip showing a car carrier hitting the family home of Keith and Nicola Walker, was filmed by Greenway Road resident Danielle Collings who can be heard telling the driver ‘mate, you won’t get it round that corner’ as it edges forward after the collision before trying to reverse out.
Mr Walker, whose wife had heard the ‘ massive bang’ as the lorry struck, said ‘it’s been chaos’ particularly as a nursery is near the junction.
He said the brickwork had been left intact despite more than one incident.
He said: “They’re not damaging the bricks, they’re solid houses.
“It took out the satellite and telecoms and internet.
“They (the vehicle’s owner) said they’ll pay.
“We’ve got the internet back on; we’ve not got satellite or anything.
“The guys are trying to force it.
“We’re getting hit by lorries coming round and the water pipe’s got broken and we’ve been trying to repair them.
“They’re coming up on the pavements.
“We’ve told the council, they’ve not been down.”
On the night of October 22, the street was even reported to have been briefly barricaded after some of those living in the area decided they had had enough.
Part of Greenway Road is shut to allow for the demolition of the ‘Trumpet Loop’ RuncornWidnes bridge flyover nearby and construction of a roundabout.
The works began on September 30 and were due to last five weeks.
Another barricade was rumoured to be planned for Wednesday evening, October 23, but was limited to a home-made sign being placed near the junction after Halton Council installed barriers.
There were no diversions in place, and there were fears that out-of-date satnavs are directing vehicles to the old RuncornWidnes bridge, which is shut until next year, thus causing confusion.
A bystander in the area who asked not to be named described the situation as ‘awful’, while
Cheryl Santley, 61, who has lived in the area for 48 years, said she had to pull her two grandchildren out of the way of a heavy goods vehicle.
She said the problems had been ‘horrendous’.
Mrs Santley said: “A few people put bollards here and they got their cars and moved it and drove through with no consideration for residents.
“If I see that these people are doing something to protect themselves, leave them alone.”
Describing her grandchildren’s near miss, she said: “(I was) getting the children in the car here in the place where we’re parked right round the back where you think it’d be safe, no cars come through, and a big wagon drove round and he’s right up to the car like this.
“I had to grab the kids like this.
“You’re stood with a kid in your hand and you don’t expect a big truck to come up to you.”
Speaking on Wednesday, October 23, a Halton Council spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that from today, road closure barriers will be in place to ensure there is no through traffic on Okell Street.
“Residents will continue to have access.”
BCA Automative, whose branding appears on the car carrier in the collision clip, has been contacted for comment.