July 11, 2012
England

Residents’ fury at wind farm trucks on Oswaldtwistle Moor

By Emma Cruces, Reporter | Lancashire Telegraph | www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk 11 July 2012

A councillor is urging a windfarm operator to re-route trucks which use surburban roads when making deliveries of turbines.

Coun Peter Britcliffe said he had been contacted by numerous residents fed up with trucks headed to the Hyndburn Wind-farm on Oswaldtwistle Moor past their homes.

Operators Energiekontor had originally planned for lorries to use main routes, but roadworks are believed to have caused a change of plan.

Coun Britcliffe said that since the roadworks began on the main throughfare of Union Road in Oswaldtwistle, windfarm lorries were diverting down Thwaites Road.

The Oswaldtwistle county and borough councillor said that the noise of the turbine-laden lorries as they go over the residential’s road speed bumbs was causing a real nuisance for residents.

Residents who have spoken to the Lancashire Telegraph said they were worried about the effect on their homes’ foundations.

People in the street asked Coun Britcliffe to take action after the lorries began making loud noises as early as 6am on weekend mornings.

Coun Britcliffe said: “It is causing havoc in the area. It is common sense that driving those sorts of loads over humps and bumps is going to cause a racket, so the road is totally unsuitable.

“Residents don’t think they should have to put up with that at 6am and I agree. The company should revisit the routes they had planned and also look at holding these deliveries during more sociable hours.”

One Thwaites Road resident said: “It’s a real problem for all the residents, particularly if you have a speed bump right outside the house. The noise is just terrible.”

HGV deliveries to the site of wind turbine components were granted planning permission to use a number of routes, including Junction 5 of the M65 and along Haslingden Old Road as well as along Union Road from Junction Seven. The Junction 5 route was earmarked as preferable for ‘abnormal’ loads.

Energiekontor was unavailable for comment.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/07/11/residents-fury-at-wind-farm-trucks-on-oswaldtwistle-moor/