LOCAL MP Andrew Murrison has been putting pressure on Wiltshire Council to divert lorries going through three small villages.
This follows the MP attending a protest on Friday 2nd December by residents from villages including Chapmanslade, Maiden Bradley, and Corsely who partially blocked the road and slowed the passing traffic through Maiden Bradley. Wiltshire Council said they would impose a weight restriction in 2011 but now they’re saying they have to wait for Department of Transport guidance before acting.
Andrew Murrison said, “I have written to the leader of the council to request a meeting about what we can do in the foreseeable future to offer some relief to the villages that I represent.”
Talking about the protest he said, “I think it was useful just to advance our campaign significantly in terms of the media coverage and impressing upon those who are decision makers in this matter the importance of it to people who live in the villages that are being blighted by very heavy traffic rumbling past their front doors all the time.” He said he did not think the council had given a good enough excuse for such delayed action.
“I’m concerned at the use of perpetual reviews and guidance notes to delay action and I don’t think it’s reasonable to delay action any further given that there are already local transport plans in anticipation of yet more guidance from central government.”
Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for transport Dr Mark McClelland restated the council’s position in response, “We are committed to working with all parties to help resolve this issue, but we are waiting on guidance from the Department for Transport (Dft).
“A reduction of HGVs in Maiden Bradley can only be achieved through our freight strategy, and we can only move forward with this once DfT has released its Local Transport Plan guidelines. We look forward to progress being made on this issue, and once the guidelines have been published, we will agree a new date to meet in the new year.”
Andrew Murrison said the diversion of the lorries would not result in the vehicles becoming the problem of other small villages because they would be sent down A roads and not down the B roads running through the middle of villages. Campaigners in Maiden Bradley say up to 1,000 lorries per day squeeze down its narrow streets. Many of the lorries are going to and from a nearby quarry.
