Sunday, 5th February 2012

‘HGVs are causing my house to crumble’

A Gnosall resident is worried his house will fall down due to HGVs steaming through the village.

Brian Robson, who lives on the High Street, said his house was starting to crack due to the constant vibrations of passing vehicles.

He said the lorries pass by up to five times a day shaking the foundations of his home, and he has called for a weight restriction on the street.

He said: “When the lorries come past my house they cause so much vibration that some of the walls are starting to crack and they have scraped past other houses.

“Our house adjoins the Co-op car park and it started after they took over about two years ago. Sometimes we have three deliveries before 7am and the lorries are getting bigger and bigger.

“They come up to five times a day starting from 5.30am in the morning, I have written to the Co-op, but many other vehicles are sent through the towns because of sat nav systems.”

The HGVs which thunder through the village were branded as “deathtraps” by councillors at a parish council meeting earlier this month, with reports that village signs had been knocked off by drivers

There have been reports of the streets being regularly gridlocked and, having already written to the Highways Department about the issue, the parish council is determined solve the problem.

And the council will now write to Staffordshire County Council to try and get signs put up in the village.

Councillor Graham Payne said it had been between six and eight weeks since he last wrote to the county council and is yet to receive a reply.

Councillor Roger Greatrex backed the move and added that the HGV problem must be tackled as a priority and not swept under the carpet.

The council is expected to discuss the matter again at next month’s parish council meeting.

By Sam Pinnington