Villagers demand action on HGV menace near Cirencester
Residents say lorry drivers are using the route through Middle Duntisbourne and Duntisbourne Abbots near Cirencester as a detour, often when the A417 is closed which happens fairly frequently due to accidents.
HGVs are getting stuck in narrow lanes, ruining grass verges and damaging dry stone walls with residents and farmers often having to tow them out.
The ‘No HGVs’ and ‘7.5-ton limit’ warning signs are routinely ignored, say residents, who are demanding urgent action including clearer signage.
Unsuitable for heavy vehicles signage on Crabtree lane just off the A417 (Duntisbourne Leer turn off) (Image: Julia Judd)
They also want the haulage industry to look into how drivers are using sat navs.
Incidents often happen late at night or in the early hours – on one occasion an HGV got stuck at 4am, knocking down two walls and crushing a hedgerow.
Resident Sarah Field from Duntisbourne Abbots said: “The worst part is the effect on the state of the roads, which are absolutely appalling.
“Google Maps is to blame as it takes drivers through our village as a short cut.
“A neighbour’s wall gets knocked down twice a year and they don’t even bother trying to claim it anymore and have to pay for it themselves.”
Wall knocked down outside property in Duntisbourne Abbots (Image: Julia Judd)
Neighbour Sam Scott-White said: “We really need much better signage.
“These lorries should simply not be allowed down these narrow lanes.
“If they manage to avoid our wall, then they ruin the verges.
“It is virtually impossible to turn around, so once they have gone down a road they should not be going down, there is no going back.
Tractor towing a large vehicle in Middle Duntisbourne through narrow lanes (Image: Sam Scott-White)
“The problem seems to occur more frequently when there is an issue with the A417, the winter is also very bad as the roads are just more icy too which make traction up the hills much worse or just with the use of their outdated sat navs.”
There are also concerns that plans for a 75-space truck stop off Gloucester Road in Stratton could make the situation worse.
The scheme was rejected by Cotswold District Council[1] last year but has gone to appeal.
One villager Valerie Dyson said: “This would only increase the number of handlers coming through our village.
“The situation would get worse. We need better signage.”
Another resident Fiona O’Brien from Middle Duntisbourne said: “I have been in the village for over a year and it’s a big issue.
“Drivers should be supplied with proper sat navs and information about narrow lanes so they avoid getting stuck time and time again.
“They sometimes use the lane near my house which is absolutely minuscule.
“And if the lorry park does get built the situation will get even worse.”
Damage outside Fiona’s home in the Welsh Way in Middle Duntisbourne (Image: Fiona O’Brien)
Daniel Tiffney, deputy area highways manager for the Cotswolds at Gloucestershire County Council[2], said: “We have taken proactive action to ensure these signs are clearly visible and understood by HGV drivers, including installing new signs and replacing existing ones in Duntisbourne Abbots parish and Daglingworth parish.
“The new signs contained symbols so they could be understood by HGV drivers who may not have English as their first language.
“Other work involved installing new HGV signs at an access point to the villages on the east of the A417, cleaning existing signs so they are more visible and replacing any damaged or missing signs.
“There is signage in place at all junctions off the A417 towards these villages and we would advise all HGV drivers to adhere to this guidance and not simply follow sat nav routes.
“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of HGV drivers to ensure they follow these signs and respect our rural village communities.
“We’d encourage communities to continue to liaise with the police who are responsible for enforcing weight limits where drivers have ignored the restrictions that are in place.”
A spokesperson for the Road Haulage Association said: “We always encourage hauliers to use truck sat navs to help them plot routes which avoid unsuitable roads.”
References
- ^ Cotswold District Council (www.cotswold.gov.uk)
- ^ Gloucestershire County Council (www.gloucestershire.gov.uk)