A BID to increase the number of lorries travelling to and from a quarry is being fought by Horwich councillors.

Horwich Town Council voted to oppose the bid by Armstrongs Aggregates to increase its fleet from 12 to 20 lorries.

Councillors said at a specially arranged meeting that they feared the extra waggons, which would be used to move waste between Pilkingtons Quarry in Georges Lane and Armstrongs' base on the Locomotion Industrial Estate, off Chorley Old Road, would cause traffic chaos.

They agreed that roads would not cope with the increased traffic and expressed concern about the impact on residents.

Cllr Kevan Helsby said: "This would be a massive increase in the number of vehicles when the roads around here are already well-used, if not over-crowded.

"We're here to represent the people of Horwich and I'm quite sure most residents would object to this.

"Horwich has become a mainly residential, pleasant environment. Goin+g back to heavy industry and dirty waggons would not fit in at all."

Jim Smith, chairman of the Brazley Residents Association, supported Cllr Helsby's objections to Armstrongs' plan.

He said: "I don't think the roads could sustain that amount of traffic.

"This number of waggons is not on."

Cllr Barbara Ronson said that the area surrounding the quarry already got "pretty grubby" when lorries were on the move.

She said residents had reported Armstrongs to Bolton Council enforcement officers, who confirmed the company had failed to meet a January deadline for reducing the height of a pile of soil on its site.

"Maybe the lorries are to move the pile," she said.

"It's a no win situation for Horwich."

She also expressed concern that Armstrongs had not discussed its application with Horwich Town Council.