Road Issues
Tockwith is located 9 km from the center for Wetherby and 15km from York by road (Microsoft Mappoint).
Rudgate is an unclassified road which connects the B1224 to Marston Moor Business Park. This road is also dangerous and unfortunately was the scene of a fatality in 2009. Harrogate Borough Council have "Strongly" objected to the application as consultee and have requested that Rudgate be upgraded as a condition were approval to be granted. Many residents feel that the winding country lanes are an essential part of the character of the area and do not want to see upgrades, although they would welcome safety measures.
These country roads are used extensively by cyclists and some parents cycle from Bickerton on the B1224 to take their children to school in Tockwith, towing buggies behind their bikes with their children inside. The roads are totally inadequate for the massive number of Heavy Goods vehicles that would be required to transport 60,000 tonnes of waste each year into Tockwith and around 1,500 tonnes of residue that would have then to be taken out of the plant to landfill. It's not just a question of volume, the roads are simply too narrow and too dangerous.
The B1224 is the main road through the area and has been the scene of many accidents over the years. This road has been closed on three occasions in 2009 as a result of accidents in the vicinity of Rudgate near Tockwith. Serious accidents also occurred in 2008. The road has faulty or missing "cats eyes" over long stretches and despite recent attention to the drains it still suffers flooding and puddling after rain as can be seen from the recent photos below.
Rudgate
The following image is on the approach to the Business Park, this road unfortunately claimed a life earlier this year.
If 60,000 tonnes of Hazardous Waste and over 10,000 tonnes of Residues were transported down this country lane each year there would be a significant risk of a serious accident occurring - it doesn't take expert analysis to conclude that it would just be a matter of time. Such an accident could result in a spillage of Toxic substances just a few hundred meters upwind of a village of 2,000 people. The nature of the area would make prompt evacuation impossible.
All of BCB's 60,000 tonnes of waste would have to travel down this road, there is no other way into the business park for HGV's. Many people cycle up and down this country lane, a recipe for further fatalities.
B1224 Photographs
The following two photographs were take on 02nd December 2009 showing the fourth serious accident on the road in a three day period.
STOP PRESS: A further accident occured on 7th December with a vehicle ending up in a field after hittting standing water, making a total of 5 serious accidents between 30th November and 7th December 2009. It is common sense that if you put 60,000 tonnes pa of waste along this road in HGVs there is a high risk of a fatality, it would just be a question of time.
This accident was one of three which ocurred on 30th November 2009 betweeen Tockwith and Wetherby as a result of vehicles hitting puddling on the side of the road. This road is already narrow and despite repair attempts is prone to puddling. It is only a question of time before there is a head on collision. As things stand the driver in this accident is lucky to be alive and this adds further weight to the unsuitability of this road for HGV's.
The following images were taken between Wetherby and Tockwith, close to Bickerton, on 30th November 2009 after the recent repair work to the drains and surface. There were two major floods and puddling along most of the stretch from Wetherby Racecourse to Tockwith.
The following pictures were taken during 2008/09.