Petition to reduce lorry numbers on small roads

[colmworthdales]

Hello!
I've started the petition "Department of Transport: Stop the Satnavs used by HGVs showing by-roads which can be used by these enormous lorries to thunder down our small country roads." and need your help to get it off the ground.
Will you take 30 seconds to sign it right now? Here's the link:
www.change.org/petitions/department-of-transport-stop-the-satnavs-used-by-hgvs-showing-by-roads-which-can-be-used-by-these-enormous-lorries-to-thunder-down-our-small-country-roads
Here's why it's important:

Many very large lorries use by-roads as 'rat runs' to save a few miles on their journeys. By using these small country roads they put all other road users in danger - ie. pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders, and other car users. The road surfaces are damaged and the road edges totally destroyed making the road a lot more dangerous for other users.
A blanket lorry ban is not being called for because local businesses and farms obviously use some heavy vehicles, but these drivers know the road layout and are almost always aware of their impact on local users and residents.

You can sign my petition by clicking here.
Thanks!
Kate Thorogood

[katiekynoch]

Done! Good luck with the petition

[dalesnfellfan]

I have signed it, not too much of a problem where we live, most large vehicles are local e.g beat lorries and very large tractors but I certainly wouldn't want any more and can imagine it's a problem elsewhere.

[harveydales]

I've signed. It is an increasing problem round here.

[colmworthdales]

Thanks to all who have read this thread and signed it.  The numbers are slowly building up.

Could I also ask you to forward it to any of your contacts who might be prepared to sign it at well. Be great to get it to 'go viral' but I am not facebook or twitter literate although both daughters keep trying to get me to join up. This is the only time I have ever rather wished I could get on - but I do not want even more time spent on the computer, and I only have a very basic mobile phone!

[maggie]

Signed

[benjismum]

sorry to put a bit of a damper on this, but I work in this area, and part of the problem is lorry drivers not using the proper HGV satnavs, but the cheaper car satnavs instead. There is no law against this unfortunately, which is perhaps the issue that really needs addressing. The proper HGV satnavs already show which roads are unsuitable for large vehicles, or which have width, height or weight restrictions. The other problem we have, is that when undertaking enforcement, lorry drivers often simply claim that they are either lost, or are accessing a property in the area ( you are right, they completely know what they are doing - but it is very difficult to prove)

It would be lovely if we could remove them from rural roads, but I fear that it won't be a simple matter to deal with, won't hurt to raise it with DfT though :-)

[tinkerdorisalison]

I will sign the petition - but, we own a Haulage company!!. I would go so far as to say there isn't a HGV friendly sat-nav!! Or if one claims to be I'd be interested to see it.

The village my parents live in managed to get a 7.5 tonne limit thru it - it you follow sat-nav you do get sent thru that village - they do occasionally still get larger vehicles through though

[colmworthdales]

Thanks for all the interest you kind folk have shown in this thread, and it is interesting to learn more of everyone's experiences - and also the satnav problems.

In this village we were slow off the mark trying to get a weight restriction, and now several of the surrounding villages do have them in place, which certainly does not help our position. Our Council unfortunately will not add to the plethora of local restrictions. Also we have a couple of businesses here which use heavy vehicles so it would be virtually impossible to police a weight restriction if put in place just for non-local vehicles.  The one lane nearby which does have weight restrictions on it leads straight to one of these businesses, so it is totally ignored!

I very much doubt I will achieve anything with the petition, but it is great to see that it is generating a bit of interest. Maybe it might lead to someone else doing something more achievable before too long.

I seem to remember someone a few years back in the govt. talking about imposing a blanket speed limit of 50mph(?) on all unclassified roads thoughout the country. However it never came to anything as I am sure there was a lot of high level protests against it, so it was quietly dropped.