'Big response' as consultation into Weldon road closure ends

The chance for people living in Weldon to have their say over the closure of a major road into the village has ended.

A traffic regulation order proposes closing Kettering Road altogether to try to prevent traffic using the road as a through route and force vehicles to use the A43 instead.

But many in the village think that this could just push traffic onto the already-busy Corby Road.

Residents had been given a chance to respond to the notice of intention posted in the village earlier this month by North Northamptonshire County Council.

On Thursday (November 25) the consultation period closed and the authority will now have to make a decision on whether to press ahead with the plans.

Ward councillor David Sims said that he has been inundated by local people who have strong opinions on the plan.

He said: "There's been a big response. It's generated a huge amount of interest among local people. There was a public meeting and there are very strong opinions on both sides.

"I've heard many, many objections and I know that the council will have been inundated with responses from people who want to have their say on this.

"There has been some support for the TRO but generally it's been objections. I am reasonably confident that it won't go ahead. We hope that they listen to the common-sense views of many people in the village. It's clear a majority of the public don't want it."

Cllr Sims says that he is still pressing for a full traffic survey in the village that has suffered from increased through traffic since the intense development of Priors Hall and Weldon Park.

"I'll continue the campaign for a southern bypass but we really need to look at this holistically," he said.

"It may be that some kind of one-way system is appropriate.

"We really need some traffic calming measures on Corby Road and pedestrian refuges."