Driven to disrupt lorries’ village route

Residents used their cars to create chicanes along a country road in protest at the number of lorries passing through their villages.

Campaigners from Alverton, Kilvington and Orston are calling for a 71/2-tonne restriction for the road from Newark to the A52 at Elton.

About 15 cars were parked along Main Street, Alverton, on Tuesday, forcing lorries to slow down.

It is estimated about 190 lorries use the road daily to reach the Staple Quarry landfill site.

The residents agreed to the action after an Alverton and Kilvington Parish Meeting, where 20 villagers unanimously voted in favour of the protest.

It followed the news that Farrell Transport Ltd, of Bingham, had submitted plans to Newark and Sherwood District Council to change the use of Staunton Works, Staunton, to a storage and haulage depot.

If the depot is approved, residents say it will lead to a significant rise in the number of lorries.

The parish meeting is due to outline its opposition to the district council.

The chairman of the parish meeting, Mr John Gossage, said: “The road is getting hammered to death already. If they used a site near the A1 then it would be much more appropriate.”

He thought the protest was a success.

“It was nicely organised. There was no aggravation. It was perfectly safe but the point was made,” he said.

Mr Gossage said the road was not designed to cope with a huge number of lorries. He said it was becoming dangerous and he feared there could be a serious accident.

He said the noise and vibration was blighting residents’ lives.

The residents have been campaigning for a weight restriction since 2005.

The county council this week said a restriction was likely in autumn next year.

The cabinet member for transport and highways, Mr Richard Jackson, said: “We want to make sure HGVs use the most appropriate routes possible across the county.”

The beat manager for the area, Pc Kevin Walker, who was at the protest, confirmed the action was legal because they did not block the highway.

“They are just trying to highlight a problem,” he said.

“They told me what they were planning to do and I was there to make sure the road was kept clear.”

The local district councillor, Mr Ivor Walker, presented a petition to the council chairman, Mr Bryan Richardson, on Tuesday on behalf of residents.

Mr Walker said residents were concerned that the parish meeting was not formally consulted about the application for Staunton Works.

He said they were eventually contacted by the council but only after they found out about the application by chance.

Mr Walker said the application stated 80% of the lorries would access the site through Alverton and Kilvington. He said it should have been obvious that the application should be considered by the parish meeting.

He said residents were disappointed the planning department did not realise that the traffic would affect Alverton and Kilvington and not Staunton.

No one from Farrell Transport Ltd was available for comment.