Survey Reveals 70% Support an HGV Ban

21st March 2006

Local campaigners [1] today released the results of a survey intended to ascertain residents’ attitudes to the proposed Mottram-Tintwistle bypass [2]. During December 2005 and January 2006, local campaign groups Alternative Proposals for Transport and Save Swallow’s Wood devised an impartial survey and visited homes in Tintwistle that fall within the National Park boundary. In total, 110 homes were surveyed.

The results reveal that whilst almost everyone agrees that the current situation is unacceptable [3], only 33% of residents consider a bypass to be answer. The most popular solution was by far the HGV ban, with 70% identifying the lorry ban in their list of choices and 49% saying it is their preferred choice [4]. This is in line with people’s perception of the problem: that there are too many lorries [5].

Pat Ellison from Alternative Proposals for Transport said:

“We have always been of the opinion that the majority of people do not support the bypass proposals and that an HGV ban is the way forward. Having been door-to-door, talking to people in the affected area, asking them what they want, we found that our efforts are not in vain. People are aware of the alternatives and they prefer them. It is time the views of constituents were taken seriously by Councillors and MPs.”

A report commissioned by CPRE from independent experts, the Metropolitan Transport Research Unit (MTRU), concludes that the environmental benefits of the lorry ban would justify the costs of such a scheme even without taking into account the special environmental qualities of the area [6]. Only last week Tameside Advertiser published the results of a phone poll in which 84% of the people rejected the bypass proposals. The weight restriction should be tried and tested.

For more information, contact: Emma Lawrence on 01457 765672 or Pat Ellison on 01457 855820

Notes for Editors:

[1] Save Swallow’s Wood and Alternative Proposals for Transport are two local groups campaigning against the Mottram-Tintwistle bypass. For more information, visit http://www.saveswallowswood.org.uk.

[2] A copy of the survey is attached and can also be downloaded from: http://www.saveswallowswood.org.uk/campaignnews/APT_questionnaire_final.pdf

[3] Respondents were asked their perception of the traffic situation. The results were:

[4] Respondents were asked what they perceived the main problems to be. The results were:

[5] Respondents were asked to select one or a combination of options that they thought would best solve the problem. The results were:

[6] Contact Anne Robinson (anaerobe@clara.co.uk), Transport Campaigner for CPRE Peaks and South Yorkshire for a copy of the consultant's report.