COUNCILLORS are fed up with a litter-strewn road that welcomes visitors to Middlewich.

Cllr David Latham told members at Tuesday’s Middlewich Town Council meeting that it is an ‘awful state of affairs’ along the A54 Holmes Chapel Road from Sproston into town.

He was particularly concerned about litter along the hedgerow on the eastbound site of the road – the opposite side to the Harvester.

Cllr Latham said: “When driving along the A54 from Sproston bends back towards Middlewich the state of the road and especially the hedgerow is a complete mess.

“The road is one of the main, if not the main road into Middlewich, and first impressions last.

“The site of litter, plastics and general rubbish strewn along the route is hardly appealing or enticing for people visiting the area.”

Cllr Latham added that it would be risky to expect volunteers from the public to pick up litter by the A54, suggesting they would be ‘taking life into their own hands’.

But Cllr Carol Bulman told the meeting that Middlewich Clean Team had tended to that area in the past – and were faced with a ‘hard job’ to clean up the ‘revolting’ grot spot.

Cllr Mike Hunter, chairman of Middlewich Town Council, added: “The Clean Team has done that before but obviously at the moment it is not doing meets.

"It just goes to show what a good job the Clean Team actually does for this town.”

Members agreed to write to both Cheshire East and Cheshire West councils about clearing litter along the route, and to Sproston Parish Council for its support.

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Middlewich Clean Team members have been picking up litter individually during the pandemic while walking around town, and the group has seen an increase in membership so far this year.

See facebook.com/middlewichcleanteam for details.