CONGESTION caused by a lorry in the centre of Knutsford could have had life-threatening consequences, claims local resident Tony Wood.

Mr Wood was driving home along King Street during the early afternoon on Thursday when traffic came to a halt as a lorry was trying to manoeuvre past parked cars outside Knutsford Wine Bar.

He said after traffic had come to a standstill a First Responder vehicle, which was behind the lorry, believed to be a food delivery vehicle, pulled into a space, and the driver jumped out and ran up the pavement with his equipment.

Knutsford Community First Responders works with the ambulance service to provide rapid response to emergency situations.

Mr Wood said the incident highlighted the need for lorries to be banned from making deliveries in King Street during the day.

“King Street is one-way, with cars parked on the right,” said Mr Wood, from Willow Green, Knutsford.

“There is only room for one vehicle, and with vans and lorries it is rather tight.

“I was stopped and waiting, and the Responder pulled into a space, jumped out, opened the boot to get his equipment and ran up the road, possibly to one of the shops.

“For me the hold-up was frustrating, but for someone who had called a First Responder it could have been life-threatening.

“It was alarming, and lorries trying to get up King Street with deliveries during the day in the week is a problem, with a lot of lorries parking on double yellow lines.

“There is regular congestion because of lorries parking in the street, and from 8.30am until 5pm lorries should not be allowed to go up there to deliver to the shops, and there are car parks at the back of the shops they could use.”

When a member of the public dials for an ambulance, within a five-mile radius of Knutsford, the duty First Responder is also advised of the call and is asked to attend.

Knutsford First Responders respond to about 800 calls a year, and said because of the nature of Thursday’s incident they were unable to comment.