VILLAGERS worried about traffic congestion in Holmes Chapel are being urged to speak out about their concerns.

Holmes Chapel Parish council is asking residents to take part in a traffic and transport consultation to help shape the future of the village.

A council spokesman said: “Our Vision for Holmes Chapel is a vibrant and prosperous hub of the local rural community, offering an attractive place to live, work and play for people of all ages.

“An efficient traffic and transport infrastructure is an essential part of making this vision a reality.

“Holmes Chapel has a history of traffic problems, even before the M6 was built.

“The growth of housing is bringing more traffic into the village. Commercial traffic, including many HGVs, passes through the village to reach businesses in the surrounding area.

“During the development of the Holmes Chapel Neighbourhood Plan, residents expressed serious concerns about traffic volumes and associated problems, with 87 per cent of questionnaire respondents agreeing that a relief road/bypass around the village would alleviate many of these problems.

“The parish council wishes to represent the local community and to raise its concerns about the traffic issues in the village with Cheshire East Council who are responsible for highways matters.

“Parish councils have limited powers and budgets to address traffic-related problems, but they can influence things by bringing issues to the attention of the local authority.

“We work with Cheshire East Council to make them aware of the community’s concerns, to make suggestions, and to co-operate with them in making plans to address these problems.”

The parish council is working with Cheshire East Council to address short-term objectives, including HGV restrictions on key roads in the village, a new pedestrian crossing at Middlewich Road School,

upgrading the zebra crossing on London Road and a survey of damaged pavements and footpaths around the village.

In addition, Holmes Chapel Partnership, supported by the Parish Council, submitted a petition to Cheshire East Council about pedestrian safety on a proposed roundabout at the A50/54 junction.

The spokesman added: “We will analyse the results from the questionnaire to understand the issues which are of most concern to residents and which are their preferred solutions.

“We will then use the questionnaire findings in our discussions with Cheshire East Council to make them aware of these issues and to demonstrate that we are representing the views of the community.”

To take part in the questionnaire visit surveymonkey.co.uk/r/hctrafficsurvey

Alternatively, paper copies are available from the parish council Office on Church Walk. The consultation runs to September 30.