Highways bosses do have the power to slap a weight limit on a tiny road through a village near Burton which sees lorries mount pavements as they squeeze through a narrow street, an MP has claimed.
Michael Fabricant, MP for Yoxall, says Staffordshire County Council is wrong to claim it cannot implement a 7.5-tonne weight restriction on the A515 through Yoxall which would prevent HGVs from using it.
It comes after Yoxall Traffic Action Group released a series of shock CCTV footage showing lorries mounting pavements, narrowly missing pedestrians and blocking lanes ad they weave their way through the village.
The group believes the county council is not keen on implementing a weight restriction to prevent lorries using the road because it will put off big business from making their home in the area.
However, the council claims it needs to seek permission at Government level as the A515 is listed as a diversion route and that HGV impact on rural communities is a national issue.
"Truck drivers use the village to get from the A38 to the A50. Sat navs direct them that way because it is a quicker route for trucks than staying on the A38 and joining the A50 further along; although it only saves nine minutes off their journey time.
Now Barton and Yoxall MP Michael Fabricant has waded in and says the county council is wrong in its belief that it cannot enforce a weight limit.
He said: “Staffordshire County Council continues to perpetuate the myth that it does not have the power to apply a weight limit to the A515. This is wrong and misleading.
“The Department of Transport and the House of Commons legal department have both confirmed to me that the council do have all the powers they need to apply a weight limit on the A515. Highways England has also confirmed to me in a letter sent in April, this year, that they have no objection to weight limits being applied to the A515 as the dualled A38 is a more suitable alternative route.
"They only ask that if the A38 is closed for maintenance, the A515 weight limit be lifted temporarily and that Highways England would always give advance notice of this.
“The A515 should not be used as a rat run or “diversion route” to avoid traffic on the A38 and the county council have the power to apply a weight limit immediately.
“I have to question why the county and its councillors continue with their delaying tactics. Many of my constituents are beginning to question the motives. Their sclerotic indecision is worrying.”
“The comment that the application of a weight limit to the A515 has to be referred to the Government is completely wrong. The Department of Transport has confirmed that these powers have been devolved down to the local county highways departments.”
However, the council has said HGV impact on rural communities is a national issue and therefore needs to be taken to a Government level, and that it has formulated a freight forum, made up of interested parties including residents, to establish a solution to the problem.
The council’s cabinet support member for highways and transport, Helen Fisher, said: “We formulated the freight forum to bring together all relevant organisations, including Highways England, to find reasonable and practical solutions to address the impact HGVs on rural communities.
A weight restriction is just one potential solution that the group is looking at and they need to understand the cost and full implications including impacts on other areas and whether such a solution would address this long standing issue.
“HGV impact on rural communities is a national issue which requires a national solution. Through our freight forum we will continue to make Staffordshire’s voice heard at Government level and would hope to have the support of our MPs in doing so.”
Screwfix plan for Fradley
Yoxall Traffic Action Group (YTAG) has also been in contact with bosses at tool supplier Screwfix which is coming to the nearby Fradley Distribution Centre.
The group claims Screwfix has been left “horrified” at the enormity of the problem in the village and has vowed to help.
A spokesman for YTAG said: “Screwfix has been exceptionally good. They have watched our videos (showing lorries mounting pavements). They were also attending a freight forum meeting but were early so sat in a local pub in Yoxall. They were left horrified at the number of wagons coming down the A515.
“They have offered to put cameras in their vehicles and said they will not use this route.”
Seven hundred jobs are coming to East Staffordshire thanks to Screwfix which is building a new distribution centre. The new 562,000 sq ft building is due to be completed later this year.
Screwfix, which is part of Kingfisher plc, and is expanding its distribution base with the Fradley centre next to the A38 north of Lichfield.
Yoxall teacher on the lorry problems in the village
Yoxall Primary School acting head Lisa Farmer had this to say on the issues in the village: "Our children, here, are the most precious things to us and their families and every week I hear stories directly from children and parents about how their walk to and from school is treacherous.
"As they are walking along, lorries often mount the footpaths, pedestrians have to stop and hope for the best. Parents grip tightly to the hands of their children as they are scared to give them an inch of freedom in case a lorry comes along at speed.
"The children have a lovely new scooter and bike shelter at school but are too scared to use their wheeled vehicles to travel to and from school as they are scared about the impact a wobble may have when a lorry drives past them, and this is on the pavement.
"Our oldest children can cycle safely on roads but do not dare in their own village because of the outrageous number and size of lorries each and every day.
"Personally, I think this is a travesty and in the age where we are encouraging our young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle they feel trapped due to circumstances in their own community.
Some parents have reported driving to school as walking is too dangerous and some only live a few streets away from school."
