Locals' crusty conflict
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• Baker Warburtons Yorkshire and residents living close to the company's Westgate End, Wakefield, depot are to seek to agree environmental conditions which the company can comply with, following the adjournment of the company's renewal application by North Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority Anthony Richardson.
Warburton is seeking to renew its restricted licence in respect of 102 vehicles and four trailers, including authority for 50 vehicles and three trailers at Westgate End.
For the company, Clive Cook said that it had been operating out of Westgate End since 1985. Substantial efforts had been made to minimise the nuisance to the residents.
Betty Martin, of Plumpton Street, said that the garden wall of her house had been demolished five times in three years by reversing vehicles; on the last occasion despite the fact that a barrier had been erected.
Henry Clarkson, also of Plumpton Street, maintained that promises made by the company had never been kept. He complained that the residents' brains were being numbed by the racket made by Warburton's operations, which took place 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He said that his house was being shaken to bits. He would like a limitation on the hours of operation and the noise reduced. Group transport manager Alan Lever said that it was essential that the operation continue at unsocial hours if it was to remain viable.
Terence Oakley, the Westgate general manager, said that flour blowing had been restricted to between 08:00 and 17:00hrs and a land-based blower had been installed at a cost of over £2,500. A speed retarder had been installed in 1987 at Clarkson's request. He later asked for it to be taken up. Three rubber spread retarders had recently been put down at a cost of 22,100. Clarkson had now requested that they be taken up again because of the noise caused by empty vehicles passing over them. Suppliers had been informed of the delivery times and where they could park, to prevent a nuisance being caused to the residents. Maintenance had been moved to another depot and the yard has been resurfaced.