A MID CHESHIRE MP has thrown herself behind a campaign for a bypass after seeing the destruction caused by traffic.
Ann Winterton was in Middlewich on Friday inspecting damage to walls around Alcock Terrace and she believes a bypass is urgently needed to take vehicles away from the traffic-choked town.
Bill Blunn, a past chairman of Middlewich Residents' Association, invited Lady Winterton to his house to see large cracks in the brick wall surrounding his garden, which he believes is due to the stream of lorries passing inches from his home.
Demand for a bypass has raged for years but so far Cheshire County Council has refused to fund the road. Instead, it has asked businesses moving to the town to contribute to the cost of a relief road, but the expense seems to have put off some companies.
Lady Winterton has said she will write to the county council urging for surveys to be carried out on the wall to establish the cause of the damage.
She said: 'Mr Blunn is very concerned about the vibrations from the traffic and the traffic in Middlewich is desperate. I have got to take it on with the people responsible for the walls maintenance to ensure they survey it.
'As for the traffic problems, that's a much bigger issue which can't be solved overnight but the need for a bypass is vital.
'What I'm seeking to do is to work with the county council to try to bring forward proposals.
'Not only is the bypass desperately needed, it will release land for employment purposes, which is so important for the borough as a whole because of our shortage of land for light industrial and employment use.'
Lady Winterton said each time she visited members of her constituency in Middlewich she had to add 10 or 15 minutes to the journey time to account for the traffic, especially with the closure of King Street.
Mr Blunn said: 'I think the time has come when the county council must live up to its responsibility to the community of Middlewich by getting the bypass complete.
'We are sick and tired of listening to excuses and the blame being on other people, such as local business.' Middlewich town and Congleton borough councillor Emma Brown has been searching for an answer as to when the bypass could be started.
In a report at Monday's Middlewich Town Council meeting she said: 'Later this month the county council will be submitting a planning application.
'A public exhibition will be held for two days in Middlewich and plans displayed at Middlewich Library.'
