On Thursday 28th November 2019 a meeting took place at Widnes Police Station with Mr David Keane Cheshire Police Crime Commissioner, the new Chief Inspector Catherine Pritchard of the Widnes Local Policing and members of the Moorfield Road Residents Action Group. Despite years of campaigning efforts by the action group, for speed reductions and speed enforcement, our group finally reached out to Cheshire Police and the Crime Commissioner for support as Halton Borough Council refuse to act on the fears of our community.
Various residents raised their concerns about the continued danger from excessive speeding, dangerous driving and the misuse by large overweight HGV Vehicles on Moorfield Road. They also highlighted the lack of support from our local M.P and representatives of Halton Borough Council. Ever since the Community first raised these serious safety issues, we have been met by dismissive and unhelpful attitudes from our Local Councillors (including Rob Polhill Council Leader). These Local Councillors are totally unwilling to fight the corner for the very same people who helped to elect them.
Mr David Keane stated during the meeting that he would personally be attending Moorfield Road with the local PCSO's and the camera van during the Christmas & New Year period. He said he would be knocking on doors, to make his presence known and to let us the residents know what he would be doing for us going forward. Disappointedly, we did not see him or indeed any representatives from Cheshire Police during December and January, sadly we have been let down as this did not happen.
At the close of the meeting, Mr Keane gave assurances to the whole group that something would be done, following the testimony given by individuals highlighting the dangers affecting our Community. We provided him with copies of the Traffic Evaluation Reports generated by the SID camera sited at the Railway bridge on Moorfield Road, which we have been receiving for a number of years. These reports are produced by equipment owned by HBC and clearly proved that there is a serious problem with speeding traffic. However going forward it is doubtful that the Moorfield action group will be able to use the Traffic Evaluation Report produced by HBC to continue to prove our case. After the last negative press article appeared in the Runcorn & Widnes World, residents saw HBC Engineers working on the SID camera. The following day, it was noticed that the SID camera wasn’t showing the speed of oncoming vehicles. This was raised with HBC who disputed altering the settings on the SID camera, but it is obvious to us all that it is still not recording the correct amount of vehicles passing and the amount of the activation timing has been adjusted to a reduced level. This can be proven when we compared the last Traffic Evaluation report to the many previous reports which were provided at the meeting. This shows what lengths HBC will go to, to disprove our campaign. Mr Keane confirmed his Commitment to find a solution to the serious issues raised by the action group and that they would be dealt with proactively by the Widnes Local Policing Team. Again I am sorry to say there has been no evidence of this to date.
The new Chief Inspector Catherine Pritchard of Cheshire Police Widnes unit told residents the force would continue to treat Moorfield Road as a priority area for speed enforcement and roads policing activity. She also assured us that Cheshire Police would undertake a focussed period of action and increase the visible Police presence on Moorfield Road until drivers get the message that excessive speeding and dangerous driving in a residential area is unacceptable behaviour and breaking the law. Mr David Keane Police Crime Commissioner also confirmed his commitment to find a solution to the serious issues raised by the Action Group and will be dealt with proactively by the Widnes local policing team.
Unfortunately, 9 weeks later, nothing has changed and there has only been the following attendance by Cheshire Police as confirmed in an email received on the 22nd January 2020;
9th December 2019 Cheshire Police mobile speed van from 8am – 10am
11th January 2020 PCSO Caroline Griffiths conducted tru-cam 11am – 12.00pm
Given the strength of feeling from this petition, do you think this level of attendance is enough to deter speeding drivers because we do not!
If anybody has any ideas or suggestions with regards to what further action or steps we could take, to make anybody in authority take notice and reduce the dangers to our families, friends, neighbours, children, pedestrians and other road users please email to;
moorfieldroadactiongroup@gmail.com