Bid to ban cars from Burnley street defeated

Residents of Irene Street attended a council meeting to argue against plans to introduce 10metre no-waiting zones at both ends of the road.

The proposal was drawn up by county highways bosses to help lorries coming in and out of castings firm Lupton & Place Ltd, in nearby Athletic Street.

Drivers have complained that they cannot turn in because of cars parked at the end of the road.

Lancashire County Council officer Brian Cook told the meeting the new 10metre limit would offer "junction protection" to HGVs turning in.

Maureen Howarth, a director at Lupton & Place, added: "The main difficulty is the junction.

"Our lorries cannot get round the corner because people park there.

"A lot of vehicles try to get round Athletic Street and get stuck."

But residents on the road claimed the problem was with HGVs coming down Irene Street outside normal hours.

One man, an ex-lorry driver, said: "People are coming down at all hours, day and night to get to Luptons.

"I know because I have come out to let them through."

And a woman resident added: "There's lorries down there at all time of the day, from before 6am.

"I get up for work at 4.30am and I have heard them then.

"Where will my grandson park his car when he comes back on Army leave?"

Other residents said they had heard lorries driving down the road and asked where they would park if double yellow lines were painted on part of the street.

County Coun John Cavanagh, siding with residents, said: "There's got to be a compromise here.

"People have got to park their vehicles somewhere."

Mr Cook replied: "The proposal is a compromise between the needs of local residents and the needs of local businesses.

"I think it is a reasonable compromise to protect those two junctions.

"It is also very important to keep those junctions clear from a safety point of view."

However, councillors on the Lancashire Local - Burnley committee disagreed and the bid for 10metre double yellow line zones was rejected.