Wind farm traffic ‘will put safety at risk’
Lynn News, www.lynnnews.co.uk 13 May 2012
As has previously been reported in The Lynn News, Falck Renewables has submitted plans to develop a wind farm on land between the two villages of Terrington St Clement and Clenchwarton.
Many villagers living near to the proposed site have registered their objections with the borough council and a public meeting was held on May 1 to discuss the implications of this proposed development on our communities.
I am absolutely dismayed to see an email from the Highways Department published on the Borough Council website only on May 4 detailing the recommended route for the large number of HGVs to reach the site during the construction phase.
The recommended route will be for incoming lorries to come off the A17 at Terrington St Clement, down Station Road, make the difficult turn opposite the recreation field and past the Marsh Road turning to reach the access road.
Outbound lorries will be diverted towards Clenchwarton village, down Main Road and through West Lynn towards the Pullover Roundabout.
This will have a devastating effect on the roads around these two villages and I hope residents living along the proposed route will be given the chance to register their views as public comments have now closed on this application.
I really do not believe some people living in the villages of Clenchwarton, Terrington and West Lynn are aware of the potential risk to residents’ safety if this plan gets the go-ahead.
Clenchwarton currently has a number of traffic calming measures installed along the Main Road to protect pedestrians and cyclists; this road has always been a rat run for drivers avoiding the A17.
If inbound construction lorries are going to be turning off the A17 at Terrington St Clement this may in turn force many more drivers to use the road through Clenchwarton village as a quicker route to and from town.
For the HGVs to navigate the route back to the Pullover Roundabout the traffic calming measures will have to be removed, putting people’s lives at risk.
The village primary school is located on the Main Road almost directly opposite the well-used local shop and post office. The planning application states working hours for the construction team will be Monday to Friday 7am-7pm and Saturdays 7am-12pm which will coincides with school pick-up and drop-off times.
I am also very afraid of the risk for drivers using the A17. The turning near the African Violet Centre at Terrington St Clement is already hazardous and this junction has unfortunately been the scene of many fatal accidents over the last few years.
There has already been increased safety measures put in place with the visual display signs warning drivers to slow down. With the significant increase in HGVs using this turning the potential risk to drivers needs to be carefully considered; I believe the risk of further accidents is unacceptably high.
I do understand we have signed up to meet EU targets for renewable energy but should meeting these targets be at the expense of peoples’ lives?
LISA SHAW
via email
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/05/13/wind-farm-traffic-will-put-safety-at-risk/