A major traffic survey hoping to ease fears from residents about lorries squeezing through a tiny main road has delayed plans for a freight meeting tonight, Wednesday, July 19.

Staffordshire County Council has postponed the meeting which brings together the authority and interested parties who are hoping to put a stop to lorries rumbling down the A515 through the village of Yoxall, as it seeks to analyse data from the latest traffic survey.

The Yoxall Traffic Action Group (YTAG) previously issued a plea to council bosses to introduce a weight limit on their street following years of problems caused by large lorries using Yoxall as a shortcut, from the A38 to the A50.

Residents are angry over lorries which squeeze through a tight road in Yoxall
Residents are angry over lorries which squeeze through a tight road in Yoxall


Shocking CCTV footage has also been released of lorries mounting the pavements to squeeze past other vehicles, which has added to the fears for the safety of youngsters from the local primary school.

It will now be down to the county council to prioritise actions to help solve the problem.

The council’s cabinet support member for highways and transport Helen Fisher said: “Through the Staffordshire Freight and Communities Forum, we have been working closely with the parishes along the A515 and A513 in order to look at the issues relating to freight traffic within these communities.

"This has resulted in us carrying out a comprehensive traffic survey along the A515 and the A513 and this will require significant work to undertake a detailed analysis of the results.

Yoxall lorries blocking roads and mounting pavements on A515
Yoxall lorries blocking roads and mounting pavements on A515

“We have also received very useful data from the parish councils and Highways England which needs to be co-ordinated.

"We will then need to present the findings in a report to the A515/A513 working group and then the Staffordshire Freight Forum.

“Ultimately it will be a county council decision to prioritise actions that may help mitigate the long-standing issue of HGV movements on the A515.

“However we must be satisfied that all parties, including neighbouring communities, are consulted and have played a part in the process. At this stage we will not rule anything out or suggest any options.

Yoxall lorries mount pavements on A515
Yoxall lorries mount pavements on A515

“In order to fully analyse the data, report back to communities and prepare the report on options we will not be able to meet the deadline for the next scheduled Staffordshire Freight Forum which was due to be held on July 19.

"As such we have reluctantly postponed this meeting in order to complete this important work. The freight forum meeting will be rescheduled for September 15. We do intend, though, to schedule a further working group meeting for August and will be discussing this with parishes accordingly.”

It comes as Yoxall resident Dennis Gair also suggested to the Burton Mail that one-way traffic lights need to be installed in the village to stop lorries squeezing past each other. This is a solution the council has said it has looked at.