AN MP has urged residents to write to council chiefs and tip operators to ensure they get hundreds of wagons off their streets.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope was speaking to a 200-strong audience at Accrington Stanley Football Club, at a meeting organised by REACH (Residents of Enfield, Altham, Clayton and Huncoat).

His call was reiterated by the action group, county councillors and borough councillors, who said it was the only way they would get the direct access off the M65 to Whinney Hill tip and find a solution to the rising numbers of wagons and pollution.

They said the tip, in Whinney Hill Road, has a legal contract to stay open until the year 2047 and no government will close it -- the only other way was to compromise.

This way tip operator Sita's planning application to create a new access from Henry Street, off Whalley Road, could be defeated.

Phil Holland, of Sita, who was not at the meeting, said it would be willing to co-operate with any solution offered by the county council.

He added that Sita would consider making a contribution, but did not specify how much.

Both the county council and Hyndburn Borough Council recently set up working groups to work push for the M65 access.

Hyndburn council had recently objected to plans from Sita UK Ltd for a new access route via Henry Street for several reasons, including an increase in traffic and excessive pollution. Sita's Henry Street application will be decided by the county council after a site visit in the summer.

Mr Pope said: "I will write to Sita, I am more than happy to bridge the gap by representing you, but I ask you to write to them too and also to the county council to let them know your feelings.

"Hundreds of people have written to me and I have passed on their letters or objections. If we stick together we have every reason to believe we will be successful, we just have to keep up the pressure and make sure our voices get heard."

County Councillor Mike Hindley said: "What will emerge is a compromise, we won't get the tip closed."

Phil Holland, of Sita, said: "We would be willing to support any initiative the county council takes."

Geoff Wheatman, chairman of REACH, said: "Please, everyone, write. Don't just leave here and not do anything. Write to Sita's northern technical manager Phil Holland, at Merlin House, Princes Park, Princesway, Team Valley Trading Estate, Tyne and Wear, NF11 0N1."