Authorities will be consulted over potential scheme to ban lorries taking short cuts through Sandy, Potton and Biggleswade

Neighbouring local authorities will be consulted over any potential scheme to ban lorries from taking short cuts through Sandy, Potton and Biggleswade, a meeting heard.

Campaigners have gathered more than 1,000 signatures to object to HGVs cutting through the three towns and also villages east of Sandy.

Delivery lorries and HGVs based at companies in these areas would still be allowed through, if any restrictions were imposed, Central Bedfordshire Council’s traffic management meeting heard.

The petition said: “We the undersigned request CBC to bring about a ban on vehicles over seven-and-a-half tonnes using secondary freight routes.

“The roads affected are the B1042 passing through Sandy, Potton and Wrestlingworth, and the B1040 through Biggleswade and Potton.

“We understand any such provision wouldn’t apply to a vehicle delivering to the area or driving to and from a base or office in these locations.

“This provision would be used to ban lorries, which don’t have business there, from passing through the villages of Everton, Dunton, Eyeworth, Wrestlingworth and Sutton.”

Principal highways officer Peter Orchard told the meeting: “A petition was received with 977 signatures asking for a ban on HGVs through Potton, Sandy and Biggleswade.

“The scope of this type of request is quite an intensive restriction,” he said. “A brief review shows a more appropriate limitation would be to include an area which continues into adjacent local authorities.

“We need those discussions with other councils to see if they’re amenable to that type of situation. We need to review this and report back, which could take a while.”

The petition focuses on companies which fail to ensure routes are properly planned to avoid small villages and towns.

Independent Potton councillor Tracey Wye explained: “This petition has plenty of support with nearly 1,000 signatures electronically and more than 200 signatures on paper.

“Large vehicles cutting through small villages has been a problem for some time. The danger is we’ve a Georgian town with these great articulated trucks passing through, resulting in damage to the roads and I believe some properties as well.

“On a couple of roads, Blackbird Street and Royston Street, which have sharp right hand bends, it’s not been unusual to have lorries stuck trying to get through.

“We welcome CBC looking into this and we’re also pleased to hear you’ll work with other local authorities.”

Referring to villages within the A1, A10, the A428 and the A505, she suggested: “If you don’t need to be in that area, you can go round it quite easily.

“The lorry drivers would surely prefer to avoid that locality. There are comments they need a break, but you can stop at motorway service stations.”

Independent Houghton Conquest and Haynes councillor Rebecca Hares, who chairs the meeting, said she would move the recommendation to note and accept the petition.

Ahead of the meeting, councillor Wye warned: “Not only will we cut emissions, noise pollution and the vibrations to buildings, it will make our extremely narrow pavements safer to walk and easier for the use of mobility scooters.”