Clitheroe HGV marshalling yard for major water tunnel scheme deferred for traffic and safety talks

Plans for an HGV marshalling yard and workers’ park-and-ride site near Clitheroe for a major water tunnel scheme have been deferred for road and footpath improvement talks.

Ribble Valley Council’s planning committee has deferred a United Utilities application for a proposed yard on the A671 Pimlico Link Road, south of Clitheroe near the A59. The plan is linked to the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) to build a new water tunnel from the Lake District through Lancashire to Greater Manchester.

Ribble Valley councillors deferred the yard application at their latest planning committee meeting and called for talks with United Utilities and Lancashire County Council’s highways department.

At the meeting, United Utilities spokesman James Cullen outlined the yard application. He said the A671 Pimlico Link Road yard was needed because another potential area at the Heidelberg cement site was not available for the length of time needed. HGVs and tunnel workers in mini-buses will travel from Clitheroe to various compounds across the Forest of Bowland area.

He said the new plan would reduce traffic levels earlier on the approach to Clitheroe. There would be planting at the yard site, grass seeding of soil heaps, and bio-diversity net gains at another location. Ultimately the Pimlico Link Road site would be returned to its original condition.

But Dave Heaton, from a group called Activate Clitheroe, said this was an opportunity to improve Pimlico Link Road with a multi-use foopath and cycle way, and create a link to the nearby Worston Old Road, which runs parallel with A59.

Mr Heaton said: “Councillors might not be aware of the popularity of the old light-traffic road. According to the Strava running and cycling app, over 2,000 people have taken 13,000 trips on this section in the past 12 months. But I have also seen walkers, dog walkers and mobility scooter on it.”

Overall, he said new links could be created quite easily to let people walk and cycle around Clitheroe. Furthermore, planning guidance encourages councils to take such opportunities if they can.

COUNCILLORS VIEWS

Many councillors said they accepted the HARP scheme was going ahead, but wanted more talks about the yard plan.

Conservative Gary Scott is not on the planning committee, but spoke for his ward. He said: “Worston is on the other side of the busy A59, which residents have to cross to get to local facilities. Moving the marshalling yard to the A671 will make things worse for many.

“Meetings have been held with the county council and United Utilities, where it was said stringent conditions would be needed. Ideally, measures should include a roundabout and traffic speed controls. Unfortunately, many suggestions have not been taken up by the county council, which is disappointing.”

Fellow Conservative Kevin Horkin echoed many concerns and supported deferral. He was also frustrated that a HARP economic impact assessment had apparently not yet been done by Ribble Valley Council. But some planning officers said that was a separate matter to the planning application.

Progressive-Liberal Coun Mark French said: “This new plan is fundamentally different to the old one. The old proposed site was a mile away from the A59. This new one is much closer. Traffic is going to be backed-up to the A59.

“And coming out of the yard, how are HGVs going to turn right onto the A671 and then right again onto the A59, where other traffic approaches at 60mph? We know how long it takes for HGVs to speed up. The health and safety of people using these roads and residents is not being considered enough.

“I also think we should have an independent survey. I don’t think Lancashire County Council highways is good enough. I don’t see how this development does not breach factors around the local economy and well-being of the area.”

He added: “This water is not to serve residents of the Ribble Valley. All we are getting is seven years of pain. In return, United Utilities is giving nothing. Less than nothing. There will be an £80 rise in water bills next year.”

Green Coun Malcolm Peplow said: “Many people don’t realise the scale of this. It’s a seven-year project with a year of activity either side, so probably nine years. When you watch The Great Escape film, you see what a vast amount of soil comes from digging a small tunnel. This HARP tunnel is going to go from one end of the Ribble Valley to the other. The amount of soil will be huge, meaning huge traffic movements

“When I saw the report saying no improvements are needed, I was astounded. We might debate whether we need a roundabout or a footpath? But to suggest nothing is needed is extraordinary.

“The plan talks about trimming-back vegetation for vehicle visibility but not to widen the road, and its predicted we will get tailbacks. The plan talks about a manually operated barrier at the yard. What will happen if the barrier man goes to the toilet for a few minutes? Queuing traffic has not been adequately addressed.

“This has to be an opportunity to provide Clitheroe with an orbital, active travel route for walkers and cyclists. The people of Worston currently take their life into their hands, if they go out for a walk or cycle. The only safe way into Clitheroe for them is by car. That is not acceptable in this day-and-age. Please give something back to the community of lasting benefit for all this pain.”