Save our country lane - residents fuming at HGVs

2 days ago

Angela FergusonNorth West

News image — Signs positioned at the top and bottom of the country lane warn drivers it is not suitable for long vehicles

Google A country lane runs along the right of the picture while on the left a blue road sign reading "unsuitable for long vehicles" can be seen on a grass verge under a tree. — Signs positioned at the top and bottom of the country lane warn drivers it is not suitable for long vehicles

Local residents have been left fuming after HGV drivers ignored road signs to use a narrow country lane damaging its verges, hedgerows and trees.

Jayne Brearley, who lives near Forton services in Lancaster, Lancashire, said three HGVs became stuck on the lane in the early hours of Monday, despite signs saying it was unsuitable for them.

The 78-year-old said they had used the short cut due to an accident on the M6, with one of the HGVs having to be towed away.

Lancaster and Wyre MP Cat Smith said sat navs misdirecting lorry drivers had been a problem "for as long as I have been MP". Lancashire County Council has been approached for comment.

Jayne Brearley Churned up mud can be seen by the side of the road with branches having fallen off a tree and one hanging off. A house can be seen in the background. — Jayne Brearley says three lorries became stuck while trying to get round a tight bend on the country lane

Brearley says Richmond Hill Lane becomes a cut through whenever the motorway is closed and they had noticed HGVs getting stuck around four times over the five years they have lived there.

"HGVs are going down roads that were never designed for them and they always get stuck as the road is very narrow and we have no recourse to clear up the mess afterwards," she said.

She said she and her husband Simon, 77, were woken up by the noise and flashing lights when all of this happened at around 02:00 GMT on Monday, with one of the drivers not rescued until around 05:00.

"My husband spoke to the third lorry driver and said 'my advice is to reverse back' and he just carried on," she said.

Google A tree-lined country lane winds away around a bend with a junction in the foreground that has "no unauthorised vehicles" written on the tarmac. — Vehicles are able to exit the motorway service station via a road that has "no unauthorised vehicles" written on the tarmac

She said she would like to see clear no entry signs at the service station, to stop lorries from using the road although the exit roads are marked with "no unauthorised vehicles".

"I just despair sometimes. I think if they stopped the lorries then we wouldn't have to deal with the mayhem afterwards," she said.

"A lot of neighbours have complained about the mess this time."

The kerb stones they had placed around the side of their house to protect hedges were also left strewn across the road, she added.

"I do feel for the lorry drivers as they are stressed because it's 2am and they are stuck on the motorway and trying to find a way out of the situation," she said.

Jayne Brearley Churned up mud can be seen on the grass verge and the road next to a gate. — Some trees and hedgerows were damaged in the incident, Jayne Brearley says

Lancaster and Wyre MP Cat Smith said this had been a problem "for as long as I have been MP".

She said that it was "so frustrating" that whenever the stretch of the M6 between Lancaster and Preston was closed then sat navs directed HGVs on to these unsuitable routes.

"We have had several meetings with Lancashire County Council about it over the years" but sat navs were directing drivers as if the vehicle was a car and not a lorry, she said.

Ribble Valley MP Maya Ellis has set up a taskforce to help tackle congestion on the M6 and surrounding roads, following major incidents.

The group was set up following concerns raised by constituents that crashes and repeated closures have caused gridlock around Preston and Lancaster.

Jayne Brearley A woman with short grey hair and glasses is looking at the camera in this selfie. — Jayne Brearley says something needs to be done to stop this from happening again in future

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