Residents highlight a number of traffic concerns in relation to Rooley Moor Wind Farm application

Protest walk against Rooley Moor Wind Farm

Residents who are concerned that the proposed Rooley Moor Wind Farm at Scout Moor will come with increased traffic problems, have expressed their concerns to Rochdale Council, but feel that they aren’t getting any answers.

It is understood that communication with Rochdale Council’s Highways and Engineering department (H&E) began in November 2014, when the first H&E consultation document was published. At the time, concerned residents provided the council with a document detailing their concerns about the implications of increased HGV traffic, apparent from the proposed planning applications.

When the applicant introduced the eight turbine option, the residents provided further details of their concerns.

Issues the residents have concerns about are:

• At the start and end of each working day, during the school run and lunch times the volume of commercial and domestic traffic will put people at risk. 
• Access from side roads will become an extreme hazard. 
• The interaction of GMPTE and school buses, along with local and commercial traffic presents a further risk. 
• Residents are asking the Council to consider the interaction of commercial and domestic traffic with other road users, horse riders, bikers and pedestrians and to advise of the appropriate controls to mitigate any risk. 
• There are no road markings or segregation of pedestrians, bikes and horses on rural sections of road. 
• There is poor provision of footpaths on the rural section of Rooley Moor Road leading to Catley Lane Head, putting pedestrian safety at risk. 
• There will be potential damage to culverts and drainage increasing the risk of flooding. 
• There will be mud on the road and turbid water run-off. 
• There is a high probability of damage to property caused by HGV traffic passing in close proximity to buildings constructed at a time when the horse and cart was the main mode of transport. 
• If the cattle grid is removed, there will be risk to animals left free to wander off the moor. 
• There is no provision for resident parking during the movement of abnormal loads. 
• Traffic volumes provided by the applicant ignore any preparatory works, connection to the electricity network, etc., all of appear to be likely to create additional road user disruption. 

Alan Rawsterne, representing those against the wind farm, said: “Residents disagree with the comment in the H&E consultation document that the access route for turbine delivery is the most logical and least disruptive available and whilst the author does not envisage the volume of traffic will cause any network capacity issues, one presumes we will be able to seek compensation from the council if it does.” 

Rochdale Council did not respond to a request for comment.