It transpired that the road on which we were walking was reserved for the use of buses! (it must also be bourne in mind that Runcorn Council appear to have a deep dislike of private cars, which is expressed by impressive attempts to trap them forever in the one way system (in the hope, it would appear, that eventually they willl they die out). I think someone needs to produce The Lonely Planet Guide to Runcorn.
ps - there is indeed a noteworthy collection of chemical plants, and it is, I hear, possible to locate certain parts of the conurbation on smell alone (left at the hydrochloromethane, 200 yards then right when you hit formaldehyde).