Call for lorry ban on Woodhead Pass

The authority is giving evidence at a public inquiry into the controversial Mottram bypass, which protesters fear will lead to a huge increase in traffic in South Yorkshire and the Peak District.

The Peak Park Authority argues that rather than build a bypass, which it says will increase traffic through the park, the better option would be to ban all HGV’s from the winding A628 trans-Pennine road.

The proposed 112.5 million A57/A628 Mottram, Hollingworth and Tint wistle bypass has been designed to relieve congestion, improve safety and make the villages on the other side of the Pennines safer and healthier places to live.

But residents in Thurlstone, Millhouse Green, Langsett, Midhope stones and Penistone fear their lives will be made a misery if the road gets the go-ahead.

Official predictions say traffic on the A628 Woodhead Pass could rise by 57 per cent. Campaign group, Woodhead Against Increased Traffic, says Highways Agency proposals to control traffic by installing traffic lights in the Flouch area will lead to longer delays and tailbacks.

They say the proposed new road will lead to a significant increase in traffic along the Woodhead route – which already carries 13,000 vehicles a day.

The Highways Agency received almost 2,000 objections to the proposed bypass from both sides of the Pennines.