Stop the Speeding on Glazebrook Lane

Good Morning,

I'm hoping that you'll be able to help with the ongoing problem that we have with speeding traffic on Glazebrook Lane. Once again we have had our property damaged by an out of control car. This is the 5th time in 10 years that we have experienced damage to our property and the 8th time in that period that there have been reported incidents with police involvement.

How there has not yet been a serious injury or worse, a fatality is remarkable.

All but one of the 8 incidents have involved cars travelling from Hollins Green direction to Culcheth and do not include the vehicles that we regularly see sailing past and out of control whilst not actually hitting anything.

Every driver involved in the incidents has been a young male under 25 and incredibly, the maximum speed that they've admitted to is 33mph! A figure that I find hard to believe when they have lost control on the railway bridge and travelled a further 50 yards before causing substantial damage and from all appearances writing off their cars.

Having to endure consistent speeding cars past the house, abuse when suggesting that drivers slow down and constant fear every time we leave our own property to walk the dogs - or even pull off the drive in the car - leaves both of us, but especially my wife in a state of great anxiety and upset.

Previously we've had the hedge and garden replanted and reported the incidents but now, one lamp post, the road sign and two telephone poles later, enough is enough. We really need something done about the speed and total disregard that many drivers seem to have for what is essentially the residential area of Glazebrook.

I would welcome a meeting or conversation with you about the possible ways forward.

I must also say that I know that we have the support of all of the residents of Glazebrook Lane when we've canvassed them about this.

The above is only a reflection of our experience and doesn't include significant damage to other properties and property of our neighbours as a result of these crashes.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

Tony Whittingham

144, Glazebrook lane

Glazebrook

Warrington

WA3 5AZ 

13th April

Hi Tony 

Thanks for your email.  Apologies,  I'm not sure what happened to your voicemail.

Unfortunately whenever I've raised this issue before I'm told its down to the police but I will  speak to them pass on your concerns.   

Also if you could pass onto me the details of the canvassing you carried out ie names and addresses I could speak with WBC officers about the situation to see if there is a way to reduce the danger.

Kind regards 

Rob 

Thanks Rob,

The canvassing is currently ongoing as the last incident ( the one that has broken the camel's back) only happened on Saturday morning and I've only just put it together. I collared Councillor Sheridan (who was very supportive) this morning at the surgery in Hollins Green and I've also sent a copy of the email to Charlotte Nichols. We're intending to attend the parish council meeting this Wednesday but any pressure that can help resolve the situation is much appreciated.

As we've pointed out on many occasions a serious accident or fatality due to speed on Glazebrook lane is definitely a 'when' and not 'if' situation.

Many thanks

Tony

16th April 2026

Afternoon Tony,
I have sent in s full report to the council officers and copied in the leader of the Council Cllr Hans Mundry, as a matter of urgency,
I will update you to any response.
Kind Regards
Lawrence

Thanks Lawrence,

For your information I've also contacted the commissioner for Cheshire police, and asked for reports of police attended incidents along with requests for action re speeding to WBC and Cheshire constabulary for the last 10 years via a freedom of information request.

We've had an overwhelming response to our survey already with many respondents citing similar experiences to ourselves along with a general dissatisfaction with previous responses from the council.

The main message from almost 100% of respondents is feeling unsafe due to the speed of traffic along with the attitude of drivers passing through the village.

We hope that we can continue to move forward with this with your support

Tony 

Thank you for your email. This acknowledgement has been triggered automatically and I have not yet had a chance to read your message. 

I try to reply to emails as quickly as possible but please note I receive a large number of emails, letters and phone calls every day, so I would ask for your understanding if you do not receive an immediate reply.

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Best wishes,

Charlotte Nichols MP

Member of Parliament for Warrington North

House of Commons

London

SW1A 0AA

tel: 020 7219 6677

email: charlotte.nichols.mp@parliament.uk

website: www.charlottenicholsmp.com 

twitter: @charlotte2153

facebook: www.facebook.com/CharlotteNichols4WN  

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Good afternoon,

 The Traffic Management and Road Safety Team operates a strictly data-led approach to Traffic Calming and Safety Engineering interventions. Our primary objective is to allocate limited engineering resources and public funding to locations where the greatest safety benefits can be realised—specifically at sites with a recorded history of speeding-related injury collisions.

 All potential sites undergo periodic review against established safety criteria. Where data indicates a site does not meet the necessary threshold for intervention (e.g., a lack of speeding-related injury collisions), the assessment is concluded. 

In light of long-standing workload pressures, the department has made a strategic decision to focus professional engineering time on the design and delivery of schemes that meet the criteria and have secured funding. Consequently, formal written documentation is not produced for sites that fail to meet the intervention threshold. This process ensures that "critical path" engineering hours are not diverted toward administrative reporting for non-qualifying sites but are instead dedicated to the delivery of safety improvements at high-priority locations. 

We remain committed to monitoring collision data across the network. Should the data profile of a site change, it will be reassessed and prioritised in accordance with our safety-first delivery model.

 Previous interventions do include the addition of the police enforcement repeater and terminal signage throughout the route and provision of Vehicle Interactive Signage.  Where it is appreciated from the reports received of inappropriate speed causing higher concerns for damage only incidents that are not recorded by the police traffic speed, volume and vehicle type assessments have been ordered and will be set in place over 5 locations along Glazebrook Lane and officers will assess these results to appreciate any further potential measures that could be considered along the route.

Attached is a 10-year breakdown of injury collisions occurring on Glazebrook Lane, please note 2026 has only 2 months of search output due to this being the latest available data set provisioned by Cheshire Police over 1.8miles of carriageway between the motorway overbridge and the A57 Manchester Road junction.

 Also attached is a document which shows the requests, complaints or enquiries received by the Council relating to traffic calming measures on Glazebrook Lane. We only hold information from July 2020 on our system regarding the enquiries.

 Regards

 FOI Administrator

Warrington Borough Council

Warrington Borough Council, 1 Times Square, Warrington

FILE LINKS: Glazebrook Lane - Yearly Trend

Dear Councillors and Chief Inspector McLoughlin,

Hopefully you'll be aware of the concerns of the residents of Glazebrook with regard to the ongoing problem of speeding vehicles on Glazebrook Lane and further to my previous correspondence I hope you find this further information of interest and I would welcome your thoughts and comments on the points made below.

I would be grateful if the following could be forwarded to any relevant persons or departments that have an interest of may have contribute to any replies on this matter notably the traffic management and road safety team.

Firstly, thank you for the information provided as a result of the FoI request.

I note that in the period requested in the FoI:

• There have been 18 requests for something to be done in relation to traffic calming measures since 2020

• 13 police attended/reported collisions

• 14 casualties of varying severity

In response to the points above:

• I attach a file containing 235 individual requests for urgent action to be taken to address the problem of speeding vehicles on the section of Glazebrook Lane under discussion (A57 to M62 motorway bridge). Many respondents have taken the time to write comments and experiences and consequently i would be grateful if you would read through and note their concerns.

  •   I’d be grateful if you’d refer to the table below for the breakdown of respondents*

  •  The overriding sentiments from the attached respondents are:

    •  Excessive speeding is a source of real concern for residents.

    •  Residents do not feel safe entering and exiting their driveways and homes.

    •  Respondents do not feel safe walking on what pavements there are.

    •  Residents are often intimidated by aggressive and abusive drivers when they are driving within the 30mph speed limit.

    •  Many residents have direct experiences of damage to their cars and property often not reported to the police and occasionally without the transgressing vehicle even stopping.

•  I’m not sure how many accidents serious injury, fatal or otherwise a 1.5 mile of road is expected to support but the 14 listed seems high for any stretch let alone a residential area with some properties fronting directly on to the road, a church that houses a pre-school nursery, very narrow badly cambered pavements and some stretches where no pavement exists at all.

• It’s the last point along with the following statements from the response dated 15th April 2026 that causes us, the residents of Glazebrook, most concern.
  
  

‘The Traffic Management and Road Safety Team operates a strictly data-led approach to Traffic Calming and Safety Engineering interventions. Our primary objective is to allocate limited engineering resources and public funding to locations where the greatest safety benefits can be realised—specifically at sites with a recorded history of speeding-related injury collisions. 

All potential sites undergo periodic review against established safety criteria. Where data indicates a site does not meet the necessary threshold for intervention (e.g., a lack of speeding-related injury collisions), the assessment is concluded.’

How many deaths or serious and life changing injuries are we expected to endure and accept as reasonable before something gets done? Surely the valid concerns of over 70% of the total residents in a directly affected zone along with a substantial proportion of residents on the side streets alerting the authorities to the substantial threat and danger that  residents justly regard as a blight on their everyday lives should be addressed.

On researching the core focusses of WBC I found the claim that ‘what matters most are three core focuses, our People, our Place, and the quality of our Public Services’. There is an opportunity for this to be demonstrated by acknowledging and actively responding to the needs of a beleaguered part of the Warrington community.

On a lighter note I was interested to note that the official motto for Warrington borough Council is “Deus Dat Incrementum” translated as ‘God giveth increase’ , I feel that it can be radically improved upon and offer the following: ‘Deus dat incrementum camerarum celeritatis mediae in Via Glazebrook’.

Yours sincerely

Anthony V. Whittingham

Good morning, Mr Whittingham, 

We’ve had some prior contact via the PCC’s Office, but by way of formal introduction, I’m Chief Inspector Rob McLoughlin, responsible for local neighbourhood policing across Warrington. 

I’m aware of the below and earlier correspondence and have shared this with colleagues in Traffic Management. You will also be aware of my expectation for increased community policing engagement and deployments in the area. 

Given your concerns, a broader response from Cllrs / Warrington Borough Council will no doubt follow. Internally, I will arrange a meeting with the relevant neighbourhood policing team and the Constabulary’s Traffic Management Unit to discuss in more detail. 

Due to leave and other commitments, this is likely to take place in early June. I will update you following these discussions. 

Regards 

Rob McLoughlin - Chief Inspector – Warrington LPU Commander

Northern Area Response Policing Lead / Force SOAC & Robbery Thematic Lead

Hi Tony 

Thanks for this detailed information.   I'll endeavour to make sure it is directed to the right people who are able to make the safe and correct decisions. 

Kind regards 

Rob

28th May 2026

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the ongoing road safety and speeding concerns on Glazebrook Lane. I am writing to provide you with an update on the actions currently underway, our timeline for data collection, and potential future options.

Whilst undertaking the review of the freedom of information request the collision assessment identified the need to look at this location further as a result of which we commissioned five targeted speed surveys through our designated external survey team. These strategic locations along Glazebrook Lane will provide us with a complete understanding of overall route flows, vehicle types, and speeds. 

The reason historically action was not undertaken is due to the individual request parameters from residents and national standard search protocols. 

• Low Collision Average: While 14 casualties were noted within the FOI these were recoded over a ten-year period, meaning an averages 1.3 collisions per year across the entire 1.5-mile route. Over the nationally recognised standard criteria being three-year search windows, fewer than four collisions were recorded over the whole route. This is considered a low average relative to substantial numbers of higher-risk areas within the Borough. 

• Lack of Clusters: The Freedom of Information (FOI) requests identified concerns along the whole 1.5m route. When analysing the precise sections of the road that were requested within the majority of the 18 correspondence received over the required three-year window, the number of recorded incidents drops significantly, with some specific locations returning zero injury collisions. These results restricted the ability to prioritise any works from being undertaken through the Local Safety Scheme Program. 

• Causation Factors: The collisions that did occur were sporadic and primarily linked to junction turning issues and driver perception errors, rather than speeding. 

Road safety engineering measures (such as physical traffic calming) are designed to adjust road layouts that contribute to collision occurrences. They cannot practically address or prevent individual driver errors or misjudgements at junctions or distractions and errors along the route that are not speeding related.

Furthermore, local authorities only receive data from the police regarding collisions that result in personal injury. We do not receive or hold records for damage-only incidents, meaning minor vehicular collisions cannot legally be factored into our safety scheme assessments. 

We have been instructed that the survey equipment was installed on 15th May and is scheduled for retrieval on 26th May. We anticipate receiving the finalised data toward the end of the first week in June.

We are working closely with Cheshire Police to try to support these community concerns. The police are scheduled to meet in early June to specifically discuss speeding issues along this route and to proactively support them, we have officially offered to fund and install dedicated hard-standing areas to accommodate mobile speed camera vans, provided the police identify viable and safe deployment locations on Glazebrook Lane.

Once the ATC data is returned, our next steps will depend heavily on the recorded 85th percentile speeds: 

• If Speeds Exceed Enforcement Thresholds: The ideal long-term solution for this route could be the installation of average speed cameras. However, please be aware that the necessary funding model is not yet active, as the wider partnership Service Level Agreement (SLA) is currently still in the drafting stage and the criteria for all safety camera installations to be agreed following the removal of the central camera partnership model and controls set by the Department for Transport.

• If Speeds Fall Below Enforcement Thresholds: Should the data show that speeds do not legally warrant intervention, our remaining options will be highly limited. Securing priority funding will be difficult, and we remain heavily resistant to traditional physical engineering measures (such as speed humps), as previous installations have generated substantial resident complaints regarding noise and airborne vibrations. 

We intend to thoroughly assess the survey data upon receipt and immediately use it to liaise with the police regarding their deployment strategy and then look to understand what further options may be open to us whilst following the progression of the Camera Partnership SLA status and camera deployment strategies also currently being redrawn for potential future support. 

Kind regards 

Jamie Fisher

Interim Traffic Management, Road Safety & Highway Adoptions Manager

Transport for Warrington

 Phone – 01925 442938

Transport for Warrington

Place Directorate

Warrington Borough Council

Post to – East Annex, Town Hall, Sankey Street, Warrington, WA1 1UH

Office Base - One Time Square, WA1 3NT

www.warrington.gov.uk

6th June 2026

Mr Whittingham, 

By way of update, I’ve met with colleagues from the Constabulary’s Traffic Management Unit and Warrington East Beat Team, who hold responsibility for local policing in your area. 

Assessments are ongoing, in conjunction with Warrington Borough Council Highways, to identify suitable locations for static camera van deployment along the affected route. This work involves reviewing road layout, safety considerations, visibility, and enforcement criteria. While decisions around road design and traffic calming sit across multiple agencies, there are encouraging indications that this may support a more tailored and sustainable enforcement approach locally. 

In the shorter term, I recognise that handheld TruCAM activity has been somewhat sporadic. Plans are now in place to increase this, and I expect to see more frequent and overt enforcement in the area. I have also asked teams to better communicate activity undertaken - both via social media and more formal updates - to improve transparency and community confidence. 

Whilst operational capacity and competing demand remain factors, your concerns are fully noted. I have tasked the relevant supervisor to ensure activity is prioritised and progressed. As you are aware, enforcement options develop incrementally - from handheld activity through to camera van deployment and, where appropriate, longer-term measures - and are supported by recorded data and community reporting. Continued reporting will therefore remain important in helping us direct resources and strengthen our ongoing discussions with partner agencies. 

I hope this provides reassurance around both the immediate steps being taken and the broader work underway to address your concerns. 

I have copied in my colleague Inspector Chris Webster who has responsibility for your local area. Please keep us sighted on concerns / updates - but I am hopeful that you will see increased visibility in response.

 Regards 

Rob McLoughlin - Chief Inspector – Warrington LPU Commander

6.50 AM this morning there was yet another crash/incident outside 144 Glazebrook Lane with a motorcyclist travelling towards Culcheth. 

Fortunately he was only concussed, cut, bruised and shocked after a short spell was able to continue (he was adamant that he wasn't hanging around for an ambulance {which was initially called but then cancelled when he said he wouldn't wait} or police!).

However, once he was able to speak sensibly, his first words were 'I took the corner too fast', he repeated this several times, said he was fine, which is more than his bike and helmet were (smashed fairings,lights etc, cracked and scuffed helmet).

Most fortunately for him he did not slide into the oncoming traffic but hit a concrete garden wall instead, I say fortunately for as had it had gone the other way I think that we'd be looking at our first fatality.

It's not the bend, it's the speed!

Yours with increasing frustration at the lack of obvious progress

Anthony V. Whittingham 

Many thanks for your comprehensive response and explanation of highways reasoning behind traffic calming and control in relation to Glazebrook Lane.

However, I feel that I must respond to some of your assertions around the nature and cause for single vehicle accidents and collisions on Glazebrook Lane, particularly the ones that affect me directly. Having had to replace sections of my hedge 5 times, 2 telephone poles having been smashed and replaced, our concrete embedded gate and posts being smashed and needing to be replaced along with a WBC road sign not to mention my neighbours car having been written off (whilst on the drive and well off the road), a collision with a static vehicle (the perpetrator just driving off without stopping) and just last week a motor cyclist losing control and hitting a concrete garden wall, I can assure you that these incidents were in no way connected to your bulleted point stating: 

• 'Causation Factors: The collisions that did occur were sporadic and primarily linked to junction turning issues and driver perception errors, rather than speeding.'

I can also assure you that there is no shortage of evidence in lack of cluster as I refer to accidents specifically in the 100 yard stretch between Glazebrook station and Dam head lane, all incidents involve a single vehicle travelling well in excess of the 30 mph limit regardless of what they tell the attending police officer or their insurance company.

Whilst I understand that current practice is for all responses and consequent accountability to be data driven I feel that relying on 2nd hand data provided externally and ignoring the first hand evidence of witnesses and the testimony of over 200 signatories to an issue of immense local concern I must respectfully regard as limited in breadth of evidence and efficacy.

I feel that most residents of Glazebrook will freely admit that the vast majority of vehicles travelling on Glazebrook lane are moving within acceptable parameters of the speed limit, the problem we are experiencing is the increasing number of drivers who feel that the speed limits don't apply to them and consistently drive at speeds well in excess of the speed limit as evidenced by damage caused, these occur predominantly during early morning, evenings and weekends and it is these 'rogue' elements that remain undeterred by occasional cameras and police activity which I have only ever seen during the daytime working hours.

In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks for all your efforts to find an acceptable solution to what I know is the difficult conundrum of managing expectations against budget restraints but hope something can be achieved that will result in a safer environment for the residents of Glazebrook.

Kind regards

Tony Whittingham

Dear Tony,

I am pleased to confirm that today I have received the following response from the Interim Traffic Management, Road Safety & Highway Adoptions Manager at Warrington Borough Council:

I am responding on behalf of our Chief Executive Sarah Smith in relation to the ongoing concerns raised in relation to Glazebrook Lane.

The council fully understands the issues impacting this route, and we have been actively working to identify appropriate, data-driven solutions.

We have already undertaken comprehensive speed surveys and liaised directly with the police regarding enforcement options. As a result of this collaboration, we have agreed upon two potential locations for a mobile camera speed van. Our teams are currently checking land ownership and engineering provision capability at these specific sites to ensure enforcement operations can be safely and legally conducted.

Our engineers have just received the raw data from the recent speed surveys and will now begin reviewing possible physical highways options. However, it is important to manage expectations regarding physical engineering measures. Vertical or horizontal deflections (such as speed humps or chicanes) generally introduce increased noise and vibration pollution for nearby properties due to braking, acceleration, idling engines, and heavy vehicles impacting the features. This disruption must be fully understood and accepted by the local community if residents are to agree to such provisions. If such a proposal were to be identified a full consultation including all properties along the affected route will be undertaken explaining the negatives as well as the positives for the possible provisions.

The council will be severely stretched to undertake a substantial engineering adjustment to the route so it is imperative that the delivery deals with all of the concerns raised and the outcomes are palatable for all living along the route as we would not have sufficient resource to remove or adjust measures if installed due to residents frustrations relating to the noise and vibration created.

Please note that the criteria for a fixed static speed camera are not met on Glazebrook Lane. The recorded injury collision data for this location does not identify speeding as a causation factor, meaning it fails to meet the strict intervention thresholds required for permanent camera installations by the Camera Partnership.  The council cannot progress independent enforcement camera provisions as these are run by the police through the aforementioned partnership.

We will keep stakeholders updated as the engineering review and the mobile enforcement site checks are finalised as these do not need to follow the camera partnership criteria being solely delivered by the Police.

It is hoped that the above information is of assistance and identifies our support and commitment to assist where possible with this issue.

I have emphasised the key elements in bold and will be sharing this response with Glazebrook Parish Council, who have also been in touch with Charlotte Nichols MP with shared concerns. I hope that you feel that some action is now going to be taken, although in terms of fixed traffic calming measures, these would require consensus between the residents, following a consultation. 

Kind regards,

Rebecca Knowles

Caseworker for Charlotte Nichols MP

Warrington North