Move to relieve car boot snarl-up

The organisers of a huge car boot sale near Oswestry are working with the police and the Highways Agency to bring in a new traffic system to ease congestion for local residents each Sunday.

Thousands of bargain hunters descend on the Chirk car boot sale, next to the Oswestry/Chirk bypass, but the influx of motorists causes traffic problems for those living in Black Park.

On Bank Holidays numbers swell, sometimes causing problems on the A5 trunk road, but it is now hoped that the new traffic system will alleviate the problems.

This will include a one way system on the lanes around Ley Farm where the car boot sale is held, and box junctions on congestion spots.

And the owners of Ley Farm are to install larger entrance gates to ensure motorists have easier access onto the site.

Police community beat officer at Chirk, Danny Cullen, said police officers had been monitoring the car boot sale for the past few weeks.

He said an advisory one way system had been tried out and proved successful.

Highways Agency staff have also visited and a meeting was held with representatives of both organisations, local residents and the organisers.

Gill Pierce, one of the organisers and a resident of Black Park, said it had been a very positive meeting.

She said another meeting would be held in September to evaluate the changes.