Tesco...Part 1

It's been another busy week.

As well as rushing all over the country trying to earn a living - I got the chance to give Tesco's a grilling at the Town Hall on Monday.

The first (annoying) thing is that they're cleverly keeping the two issues of the new store and the silk road roundabout separate when evidently they have no intention of building one without the other.

And as everyone knows, they've already been granted permission for the new roundabout - which is still a mystery to me. I'm investigating the planning process at the moment.

They claim that County Highways supported the idea - but what I understand County actually said is that a roundabout was better than a slip road on/off.

But it's still a crackers plan. As everyone who comes into Macc between 4pm and 6pm will know, there's usually traffic queuing half way to the Hulley road roundabout. This means that cars will end up sitting on the new roundabout in rush hour, preventing anyone from getting into or out of Tescos.

Not initially a big deal (if they're stupid enough to go there, etc.) but what will then happen is Traffic going away from Hibel Road on the Silk Road will get held up by this traffic queuing to turn right into Tescos on the new roundabout.

Stopping the other, previously fine, carriageway.

However - to balance all of these arguments, I see no choice if there are to be commercial units built on the Black Lane site. Although a new Tesco's would be fine with the present traffic arrangements, there is no way we could provide access to a new development on Black Lane without an additional junction.

And I doubt that there are many people that wouldn't like to see something useful happen with that site.

My only concern is that this access will be across Tesco's land - which as far as I am aware - they haven't yet consented to.