Ulverston locals’ traffic concerns ‘have been addressed’
Last updated at 16:41, Wednesday, 13 March 2013
PLANNERS behind the proposal to build a new supermarket on the former Robinsons brewery site in Ulverston have hit out at claims the traffic impact would be “unacceptable”.
Last week, opponents of the plans highlighted a recent report that claimed the proposed store would create 4,700 extra car journeys each day.
However neither of the official bodies responsible for the area’s highways have objected to the plans.
Tony Clowes, managing director of Positive Location Properties, is overseeing the development and insists the plans will benefit the town.
He said: “The proposal has been accepted by the Highways Agency, which is responsible for the A590 trunk road and by the Highway Authority, which is responsible for highways generally, including Brewery Street.
“They have confirmed that they have no objection to our proposals.”
The Highways Agency has issued a number of conditions that must be met if the development is to go ahead, including using a variable message sign to warn motorists when the supermarket car park is almost full.
A number of Evening Mail readers have commented that any increase in car journeys caused by a new supermarket would be offset by the fact fewer local residents would have to travel to Barrow to do their shopping.
However, others have suggested the rival application for a Sainsburys at the Beehive site – just off the A590 – would have better vehicle access and so have a reduced traffic impact.
Both planning applications are likely to be decided as early as next month.
First published at 16:17, Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
County Road from Coro to Tank Square is always a bottle neck now, especially during rush hour, and getting out of the Ellers is tricky to say the least. This development will have 2 impacts, traffic backing up from entering the underground car park onto the roundabout and traffic wishing to go along Brewery Street into Fountain Street and the town centre including the Weint Car Park being gridlocked. This is without the problem of lorries turning from Brewery Street into Hart Street. Might I humbly suggest that residents of the area know the traffic congestion far better than Mr Clowes, an official in the Highways Agency probably in Manchester or someone in an ivory tower in Carlisle.
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Another supermarket could be good for the residents of Ulverston and Furness. A major UK supermarket chain is seeking approval to build a supermarket in Ulverston at another site. The proposals being touted for this particular site appear to be aimed at maximising the value of the site for sale to a third party possibly a supermarket chain. I have only lived in Ulverston for twenty years but I well remember Robinsons brewery company buying the local brewery then closing it down and making its Ulverston employees redundant. While I was not born in Ulverston, I have worked in business management for many years and do not find it difficult to see something in these proposals which could be a risk for the people of Ulverston who would be left with unintended consequences.
Posted by oldoffcomer on 15 March 2013 at 15:28