Residents say they are sick of HGVs using their town as a short cut

About 3,500 people have put their names on a petition to try to get heavy lorries banned from Wigton.

A lorry ban is marked down as a priority traffic scheme for 2005-2006.

But the petitioners - who will present their case at a county council meeting on Tuesday - want it to happen sooner.

Jennie Hucklenbruch, from Wigton Town Council said there was huge support for a ban.

We don't want be going through Wigton with big HGV vehicles because it is a very tight, very narrow place to go through Tony Markley, haulier

She said: "We really want to show the voice of the people.

"Wigton has a population of just over 5,000 so a petition of just over 3,500 names is just about every adult who lives here.

"It is affecting, we feel, the economy of the town and spoiling a lovely place to live."

Hauliers have said that they would prefer to avoid the town centre, but using Thursby roundabout via main roads is six miles longer - and would cost an extra �10 a trip.

Fantastic thing

Tony Markley, the managing director of the Silloth-based Markley Transport says the only answer is a new road.

"We don't want be going through Wigton with big HGV vehicles because it is a very tight, very narrow place to go through, but we do have to get to the M6.

"The only other option is to go via the main roads but that is a further 15 minutes and costs about �10 more a round trip.

"If you multiply that with the amount of vehicles I have got and it is a big cost incurred.

"If Wigton had a by-pass... that would be a fantastic thing."