Call for action over HGVs and other vehicles in Alnwick streets dubbed 'rat runs' by campaigners

Lisburn and Prudhoe Streets make up one of the two main options to bypass the town centre, including the arch at the Bondgate Tower, which can’t be used by larger vehicles.

But residents on the stretch now think traffic matters ‘have got out of hand’, with claims that the speed of vehicles is ‘often dangerous’ and fears that ‘a serious accident is waiting to happen’.

They are also increasingly worried about noise, blind-spots, parking and the use of the roads ‘as a rat run by increasingly powerful cars and HGVs’.

“A small group of us decided to ask other residents if they agreed,” said Jane Mann, who lives on Prudhoe Street.

“One of our residents reported that she is scared for her toddler son in his pushchair as HGVs thunder by the narrow strip of pavement on Lisburn Street.

“Several people have told me that they can feel the vibrations affecting their houses as HGVs pass by.

“Many of the older houses do not have foundations and are seriously under threat, while many houses have no garden to shield them from the worst effects of the traffic. A local parent told me she felt unsafe sitting in her living room.”

Another resident, Jim Coulter, added: “There are so many blind-spots and junctions that just don’t work.

“Residents know that they take serious risks pulling out into Prudhoe or Lisburn Streets from side streets.

“The opening of the large new care home on Lisburn Street is going to add hugely to existing traffic problems, while the development of the Duke’s School site will make a difficult situation impossible.”

The major redevelopment of the Duke’s site, which will see 98 new homes built on the plot, was another ‘ad-hoc decision’ made ‘without considering the impact of those decisions on residents and their quiet enjoyment of their homes’, with worries were also expressed about children going to and from Swansfield Park Primary School.

Jane said: “The county council needs to put local people first. We are not against change, just the lack of planning to provide us with a fair, workable and well-ordered traffic management system.

“Having read the county council’s response to the application for the Duke’s school development, I was shocked to see so little reference to potential traffic problems. How can that be right?

“We need action now to agree a traffic management plan with residents which puts safety first.”

A Northumberland County Council spokeswoman said: “The council considers all traffic management carefully, taking into account the effect of any changes on the area. We also carry out local consultation on changes to road layout or traffic orders.

“It can be difficult to achieve perfect solutions in a historic town centre like Alnwick, which was not designed for the volume of traffic or size of vehicles which are used today.

“In relation to the development on the former Duke’s school site, a transport assessment was analysed as part of the planning process, which showed that vehicle movements from the new use in the northern part of the site will be less than those of the former school, with traffic dispersed from a number of accesses.

“There may inevitably be some short-term impacts from HGV movements during the construction phases on the former school site, but these will be temporary.”

Anyone interested in registering their interest in promoting safer roads on Prudhoe and Lisburn Streets can contact Jane on [email protected]

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

If you can, please do pick up a copy when you are at the shops. Thank you for your support.