Poll shows opinion divided over Coare Street closure
OPINION is divided over the council’s proposed closure of a town centre street in order to tackle traffic problems, an Express survey has revealed.
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 driving between Beech Lane and Westminster Road by closing Coare Street.
But a group of residents have hit out at the plans saying it would cause travel misery and delay emergency services responding to calls.
Our online poll has attracted dozens of responses, but the division of opinion is perfectly split down the middle, with 50 per cent respondents saying the road should be blocked off, with most favouring the closure point between Pownall Street and Brock Street, at 27pc.
More than 66pc of respondents said they didn’t live on Coare Street but were concerned how the plans would affect them. Around 100 people responded to the survey on the Express website.
Lloyd Roberts, former Mayor of Macclesfield, who began the campaign to close the street four years ago, said: “It is very interesting 66pc objecting to the closure do not even live on the street. If their street was bombarded with illegal traffic daily into the early hours I suspect they wouldn’t object.”
Out of all those who responded, 46pc say the main problem is drivers using it as a cut-through.
Out of those who do not live on Coare Street, 48pc cite parking problems, dangerous junctions, emergency service delays and increased journey times as equal concerns if the road is closed, with 19pc stating none of these as concerns.
And more than half of all the residents of nearby streets reject ‘no waiting’ restrictions as an alternative solution.
Margarita Benavides, from New Hall Street, who set up the facebook page ‘Stop Cheshire East Closing Coare Street’, said: “Everybody agrees there are issues on Coare Street at certain times of day but the council has not discussed alternatives with residents and we are left pitted against each other.” Cheshire East’s consultation ended on Saturday, October 10.