Neighbours’ fury over lost lorries damaging homes next to Sevington Inland Border Facility, Ashford
A furious homeowner is planning to build a barrier at the edge of his property to stop lost lorries damaging his driveway. John Rolfe, 40, has had two HGVs become stuck on his land in Sevington, Ashford, since he moved in four months ago.
Neighbours living in Church Road say problems began when Sevington Inland Border Facility - a huge customs site - opened in 2020. Ever since then, sat-navs have been directing lorry drivers through the residential road to the staff entrance at the rear of the facility - which is not suitable for vehicles of that size.
When realising their mistake and trying to turn round, the vehicles have flattened signs, fences, and post boxes, as well as churning up grass verges. Residents claim the problem only started being taken seriously by highways bosses after a man died in nearby Cheeseman's Green Lane in December 2020. Teofil Bunea, 56, had been trying to help after two lorries got stuck at a narrow railway bridge in the road when he became pinned between a wall and a lorry.
He died of multiple injuries, an inquest heard.
Despite the increased signage following the incident, neighbours say they are still having up to three HGVs enter the road a day.
Mr Rolfe, 40, claims the drivers have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to his property - knocking over posts and smashing his wing mirror. He said: "It is really bad. Two lorries have come and got completely stuck on my driveway.
"I am trying to sort this place out and they keep messing it up. It is a joke. I am so stressed out, this is driving me insane.
"It just keeps happening and I have lost so many days work renovating the house because of it."
Picture: SWNS
Picture: SWNS
Mr Rolfe says he is now trying to get compensation for the damage caused, and intends to build a barrier at the edge of his property to block access to his drive. John Lang, 70, and his wife Sherylynn have lived in their home on Church Road for six years and say the lorries have ruined their once peaceful neighbourhood. Recently the access path to their home was narrowed and a sign was put up in an attempt to keep HGVs away- but the couple say they continue to have damage caused.
Mr Lang said: "It is terrible. Sometimes you get three lorries enter in one day. There is easily 100 a year.
It is a nightmare. The council have tried to make it harder for them but the drivers are very persistent.
"They will never be able to stop it. Kent is becoming a lorry park.
"We need a lot more signage.
There used to be big signs at the end of the road but the lorries flattened them. "I said that if it carried on like this someone would be killed, and then they were." Mrs Lang, also 70, added the lorries often stop on their road late into the night and loudly honk their horns, as well as throwing rubbish out their windows.
She said: "They are all a nuisance. This was a lovely peaceful place to live before the lorries.
"They are a constant nightmare, blaring their horns at all hours of the day and night. "They also leave rubbish everywhere, there are bottles of urine all over the road.
It is disgusting.
Picture: SWNS
Picture: SWNS
Picture: SWNS
"It is extremely dangerous and very scary. They have absolutely no respect for the residents." Another resident of 13 years, who wished to remain anonymous, says he hopes the problem will be fixed soon after new signage was added at the end of the road last week.
He said: "The amount of damage to the railway bridge is absolutely unbelievable.
"One neighbour had a HGV stuck on his drive for eight hours. "The drivers are as frustrated as we are. They see signs pointing here and an industrial entrance and then get stuck.
"It used to be a lot nicer here when there were just fields rather than the border facility. We only had three days' notice before it was built so we had no choice."
The facility, which checks goods going in and out of the UK, was initially only supposed to be a temporary facility with planning permission set to expire at the end of this year. But the government is now seeking full planning permission, and an application to extend its use is due to be submitted to Ashford Borough Council (ABC) by the Department for Transport (DfT).
In a statement, a DfT spokesman said it "understands the frustration of residents in Sevington experiencing disruption caused by HGVs in their area".
"We're working with Kent County Council on ways to address these concerns, including reviewing signage to reduce confusion for drivers and prevent HGVs from using unsuitable roads," they added.