Labour Councillors have voted through plans for a new Recycling Centre on Lower Eccleshill Road, ignoring concerns over traffic congestion. The Conservatives wanted the council to investigate the possibility of using trains to deliver waste to the site instead.

The plans will mean an extra 1,500 HGV trips a week to the site, and Conservative Councillors raised concerns about the impact on traffic congestion around Junction 4 of the M65 and at the Lower Eccleshill Road junction with Hollins Grove Street and Goose House Lane.

Conservative Councillor John Pearson pointed out that just weeks ago the council heard a motion on climate emergency and now the council are planning to increase HGV traffic by 1,500 vehicles per week in the area on an already congested road network.

Cllr Pearson pointed out that 1,500 HGV trips could be replaced by 2 or 3 train trips. He said “I am amazed because this site has an existing railway nearby but nowhere in this report does it suggest anyone has looked at that as a solution”.