Weight restriction success for Nailsea
Large lorries will soon be banned from four country lanes in Nailsea to make the roads safer for residents and rural businesses
CONCERNED residents in Nailsea are celebrating after weight restrictions for four narrow country lanes were agreed by North Somerset Council.
More than 30 people from the hamlet of West End attended a Nailsea Town Council meeting in March to appeal for weight and speed restrictions to be introduced along West End Lane, Netherton Wood Lane, Nailsea Wall Lane and Nailsea Moor Lane.
Home-owners said large lorries had been causing accidents, demolishing walls, injuring horses and riders and causing blockages in the lanes, making life very difficult for residents and rural businesses.
Nailsea Town Council clerk, Ian Morrell said: “The plan is to get all the paperwork sorted out this financial year and then implement the new weight restrictions in 2012-2013.
“We are very happy about it. A lot of residents came to the town council in March and it has been a very swift process moving it forward to this stage.
“The town council has been very supportive of the move from the start. We hope it will make the road safer.”
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Residents also appealed for a 30mph speed limit, but this issue is still being considered by North Somerset Council as speed restrictions are harder to enforce.
Mr Morrell added: “Managing speed is much harder to enforce, whereas with weight restrictions members of the public can take a photo of any large vehicles which shouldn’t be using the road and send it to highways, the company the lorry is from or the police and it can then be followed up. But you can’t prove what speed a car is doing by a photo.
“The only large vehicles which should be going down there are farming vehicles or those related to businesses in the area. It will stop the big lorries using it as a short cut to come into Nailsea.”
It is believed the use of satellite navigation systems could be to blame for the increased number of lorries travelling through West End to and from the M5.
A 7.5 ton weight restriction is due to be imposed along the four roads in the next financial year.
