Farnworth residents plea to stop lorries coming down their street

Neighbours in and around Old Hall Street in Farnworth have been disturbed by lorries as they try to use Lark Hill as a cut through, only to find it leads to a no through road and having to reverse back up the street.

When lorry drivers try to make late night deliveries and turn down the street, their loud back-up alarm comes on as they reverse out and it disturbs local residents - who then wake-up and help the lorries reverse down the street.

Although the streets affected are situated in Farnworth, they come under the Kearsley electoral ward.

Cllr Tracey Wilkinson of Kearsley ward highlighted the issue.

The dead end on Lark Hill which is causing the issues. Image: Google Maps

She said: “I know we’d previously had issues with HGVs going down there but wasn’t aware that it is an ongoing issue.

“A resident approached me about the issue, saying it had increasingly got worse. They said they’d always put up with it but it had gone absolutely manic on the no through road.”

She continued: “One lady reported six HGVs in one night – this wasn’t just at any time, it was in the middle of the night.

“They’re having to reverse back up small narrow streets with double parking on each side of the road.”

Cllr Wilkinson highlighted how there used to be a no through road sign at the end of Old Hall Street warning drivers and queried why there isn’t one there.

She said: “There used to be signage at the junction of Old Hall Street and Longcauseway saying no through road. I have requested a not suitable for HGVs sign.

“The whole junction was redesigned over years, whether it was taken down and it’s not gone back up or it was damaged.”

She also raised the issue that satnavs sometimes send people down the road, saying:

“Another resident mentioned that satnavs were taking people down there. It seems like it’s a combination of issues.

“The highways department can at least do some signage.”

A spokesman for Bolton Council spoke on the issue, saying: “The council has received no complaints in relation to this matter.

“An industrial premises is located on Old Hall Street and it isn’t a no through road, nor has it been previously.”

 He added: “There are a number of other streets served off Old Hall Street and you can travel through the area to reach Long Causeway.”