Children‘ are at risk’ from passing lorries

HEALTH: Heavy traffic is affecting the health of children in Wakefield, a councillor warned as he claimed 178 heavy goods vehicles had passed his home in 45 minutes.

Labour’s Steve Tulley made the claim during a debate on air pollution as he called for lorries and trucks to be diverted away from certain areas.

HEAVY TRAFFIC is affecting the health of children in Wakefield, a councillor warned as he claimed 178 heavy goods vehicles had passed his home in 45 minutes.

Labour’s Steve Tulley, who represents South Elmsall and South Kirkby, made the claim during a debate on air pollution as he called for lorries and trucks to be diverted away from certain areas.

He said more than 1,000 wagons travel daily down Minsthorpe Lane, which connects South Kirkby and Moorthorpe with North Elmsall. It came as Wakefield Council’s climate change committee heard air quality had improved significantly in various locations over the last 10 years.

Contributing to the virtual meeting, Coun Tulley said: “I decided to bring my laptop downstairs this morning, and during that last report, 178 HGVs have gone past my house on Minsthorpe Lane. That means they’ve gone past a school with over 1,200 young people.

“The point I’m making is this: unless we’re prepared to look seriously at how we divert HGVs away from town centres and villages, we’re never going to be shot of this problem.

“We’re talking about children with asthma and respiratory diseases and we have to put up with this in my part of the world day in, day out. I’m not exaggerating – 1,100 HGVs pass my back garden every single day.”

Promising to investigate, council officer Gerard McCormack said that if pollution levels on Minsthorpe Lane were found to breach safe levels then a plan would be put in place.

The meeting had earlier been told that the council will collect data around St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Castleford in response to concerns.

The authority is also considering whether to crack down on drivers who leave their engines running when idling, with the roads around schools being identified as a problem area at school drop- off and pick- up times.

Gerard McCormack, from the council’s environment team, said understanding the impact of such peaks was important.