THE LEADER of South Ribble Council has hit back at claims that a quiet Farrington street could soon be overrun with thundering lorries.

Worried residents in Northgate have inundated councillors with calls after they received an anonymous leaflet claiming their street could become an access road to a huge industrial site.

The leaflet said if plans are approved for a rail freight terminal in the area, a 24-hour road haulage firm based in Farington Business Park may ask for Northgate to be re-opened.

But council leader Tony Kelly has slammed the leaflet. He said it had caused unnecessary distress to many people and stressed the allegations made in the leaflet were false.

He said: "When plans for the haulage depot were approved in 1986, they were subject to conditions which prohibited the use of Northgate - a quiet residential street."

According to Councillor Kelly, the plans stated: 'there shall be no direct vehicular access from the site (except for emergency vehicles) onto Northgate'. The reason for this condition was to 'safeguard road safety on Northgate'.

He added: "These regulations are still in place and there are no plans whatsoever to re-open Northgate.

"It's no surprise that the author of the leaflet does not make himself known as the allegations made are entirely without foundation and have angered councillors and local people."

Councillor Tom Hanson, Chairman of the Development Services Committee, said: "The council is to look at plans for the terminal next month. We will consider carefully every aspect relating to the proposals before making our decision."

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