Despite the free coffee and biscuits on offer, Peel Holdings representatives got a good ear bashing this afternoon as angry local residents attended the company's `consultation' event at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Peel Holdings spin-off, Peel Logistics, wants to change the terms of its planning permission for Port Salford in order to build a 280,034 sq ft `food logistics' warehouse, before the Western Gateway Infrastructure Scheme (WGIS) road and rail network is in place.
Despite Peel stating that the warehouse will "generate an increase of five cars and five HGVs in each direction for both the AM and PM peak hours", residents, sick of constant congestion on Liverpool Road, just weren't buying it.
"Obviously they haven't got any rail infrastructure in yet or road infrastructure in yet so I don't care what they say there's going to be big lorries going up and down the road" explained Graham Payne who lives on Liverpool Road
"All I can say is that if the Council do pass it after everything they've said from day one that nothing will be built until the infrastructure of the road and rail network was put in place - then they're not the council they should be" he insisted "Agreements are put in place for specific reasons, and the specific reasons is the volume of traffic down Liverpool Road.
"We've already had one death down here last year, with a guy on a motorbike" he added "Since then they've put the three lane structure in which is a total nightmare. How many other people do they want to be hurt, or maimed, or killed? It's simple; `Do you job, do it right and stick to your agreements'."
Joseph Camilleri lives opposite Claybank Motors off Liverpool Road and is already struggling to drive out of his street with the existing traffic...
"It's ridiculous" he said, reeling off the schemes residents are enduring before the Peel plan is even in place; from a new massive United Utilities sewer plant, to cars and lorries using Liverpool Road to avoid the motorway works, to Stadium rugby traffic on match days... "They said it wouldn't have any effect on the traffic whatsoever you can't even go out because you know that you can't get back."
Adele Finney, from Moss Vale, was another resident who was unimpressed with Peel's information boards and be-suited personnel...
"This was a half bungled attempt to push something through, putting out local people even more" she said "They reckon there's going to be five lorries a day at `peak hours' but we're not fooled by this...it's not just rush hour, there's the school run. Anyone who's ever walked near the cemetery will know it stinks of car fumes all the way up. There's children going to school there and it's a major walkway; my daughter's had to start using her inhaler again. Do I have to make her wear a mask?
"They reckon there will be 280 jobs, that's 280 cars" she added "How are these people going to get to work with the congestion? I'm not happy with what they are proposing. Why can't they just stick to the original plan? They've stung us before with this stadium - roads didn't get built that should have got built."
The distrust seemed to run right the way through the event, watched for a while by local councillor and Assistant Mayor for Transport, Roger Jones, who is also opposing the Peel move.
Jackie Anderson, local resident and Reality Party General Election candidate for the area, was also in attendance with many of her supporters.
"The Council's in opposition to it so there are obviously some issues, and the councillors need to properly tell us what's going on" she said "We've already conceded that Port Salford will be going ahead but the road and the train line is supposed be built before the warehouse comes in, therefore it's going to be horrendous. And it's got to stop."
Jackie, along with other residents, was also concerned that local people hadn't been informed of the Peel event. Indeed, no-one who the Salford Star spoke to had received one of the 15,000 leaflets that were supposed to be circulated in the area. People had found out through social media and word of mouth.
Similarly, no-one who the Salford Star spoke to was in favour of Peel's proposals to put the warehouse before the WGIS. And even Peel Holdings' own communications manager wouldn't defend the company's actions, declining to do an interview with the Star.
Behind all the anger of residents is a real concern about what is happening to their area, and the total mistrust of Peel and its manipulative industrial long term aims...
"I've lived here all my life and have seen it go from three tiny villages to wildlife destroyed time and time again" explained Tony Eaton "This [Port Salford land] was the last bit that was left over where a lot of the animals I used to see as a kid existed, and this will be the last time I'll probably ever see them. The Moss doesn't really have wildlife any more, it's just business and houses. This is a natural flood plain, if it doesn't flood here Partington will cop it."
His fears are backed by Jackie Anderson... "When I first looked at Peel's Ocean Gateway plans three years ago I said `Irlam's not on the map' and they said `Things have to change, Jackie'" she recalled "This is going to be like Trafford Park where no-one lives anymore..."
And do residents think that Peel give a damn? "No" replied Graham Payne "It's like everything else, it's all about money, about profit. As a person you're not even in the equation; it's all in the interests of profit and their shareholders. But at the end of the day, it's people's wellbeing they are messing about with."
Officially standing in the way of Peel is Salford City Council. Does it have the bollocks to see it through? "We hope they have" said Joseph Camilleri "We hope they have..."
See also previous Salford Star article £31million Public Subsidy for Port Salford click here
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