Statement on Operations at PLP Astley

Updated 25th September 2026

Since our last update, we have continued to work closely with the Astley Warehouse Action Group, Wigan Council, and the site’s owners, PLP. Our agreed proposal with Astley residents, the Astley Warehouse Action Group and Wigan Council to pause overnight transport operations in the yard at the PLP Astley site was put in place at midnight on Monday 7^th September. We will continue to deliver on this agreement until a sustainable solution to nighttime noise levels is agreed.

This means that currently, there is no transport activity in the yard between 00:00 and 06:00, seven days a week, as an interim measure while we continue working on measures to reduce noise from the site to an acceptable threshold.

During this period, the overnight processing of mail and parcels will continue within the depot, and our teams are working to ensure that our adjusted transport operations continue to deliver for our customers.

In addition, we are working with Wigan Council and the site owners PLP in a joint-working group to deliver the second part of our proposal for sound mitigation, which is being reviewed by residents. We have invited Astley residents to join this group.

We are actively exploring all viable options on sound mitigation, alongside continuing to meet regularly with all parties to review progress on actions and ensure they are having the desired effect of reducing nighttime noise and minimising disruption to impacted residents.

Our existing noise mitigation measures will remain in place:  

• Invested in an electric shunter to reduce noise when moving trailers around the yard.
• Invested in electric vans to reduce noise and emissions from site-related vehicle movements.
• The use of quieter on-site vehicles such as shunt units to move trailers around in our yard.
• Installation of external and internal monitors to track noise allowing the on-site team immediately to address any noise incidents at source and in real time day and night.
• Eliminating refuelling at night.
• Preventing fuel tankers from accessing the site at night.
• Changing operational practice to ensure a minimum of activity occurs at night, and any activity takes place as far from residents as possible.
• Independent acoustic monitoring – the findings of which we will share directly with the noise mitigation joint-working group.

We are continuing to review these measures daily and have established a direct mechanism whereby we can take on board residents' feedback, as it occurs, to identify noise incidents as part of the data gathering process.

We remain committed to being a responsible neighbour and supporting the local Astley residents who need and deserve to have their concerns addressed. We are confident that the measures agreed have gone a long way towards reducing nighttime noise, and we are content that progress has been achieved recently. We will continue to work to find a longer-term solution between Whistl, Astley residents, Wigan Council and the site owner, PLP.
.