Citizens living near a warehouse complex in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, are facing difficulties due to the industrial noise emanating from the site. Whistl, a logistics firm, began operating out of one of the 60ft high warehouses at the Henfold Estate on Monday, despite major local opposition to the development. The warehouse complex was approved by Wigan Council and finished in January 2026.
Residents, such as Steve Retford, who lives directly opposite the service yard, claim that the noise of lorries moving around the site has been 'horrendous'. Retford stated that wagons were causing a 'dreadful cacophony of racket all night', making it difficult for local people to get a good night's sleep. Amanda Robinson, another resident, expressed similar concerns, highlighting the constant noise of reversing, beeping of horns, and hissing of air brakes.
Whistl has been granted an interim operators licence, subject to conditions, by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner (OTC). As part of the licence, HGVs are limited to a set number of movements in and out of the site between 22:00 and 05:00, and reversing alarms or horns are not allowed to be used on site. However, this condition contradicts the rules set by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which require horns to be tested each day as part of routine safety checks.
The OTC stated that operators must adopt a sensible risk-based approach to manage issues like this, but Whistl claims to be in full compliance with the requirements. The firm has a longstanding track record of operating safely and in compliance with the requirements of the DVSA and OTC. The OTC is currently considering a full application by Whistl for the site.