Lorry drivers repeatedly ignoring restrictions could be targeted in crackdown in Malmesbury
The town centre has a 7 and a half tonne weight limit restriction
HGV operators repeatedly flouting restrictions could be targeted as part of efforts to tackle problems caused by huge lorries thundering through a Wiltshire town.
Wiltshire Council has responded after residents in Malmesbury called for urgent action over HGVs squeezing through the historic town centre – which is covered by a 7.5 tonne weight limit – amid concerns about pedestrians and damage to buildings.
Campaigner Jeffrey Manton described scenes when large lorries pass through as “pandemonium” and accused the authority of years of inaction.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that vehicles pass homes and pedestrians with inches to spare and highlighted an incident in 2021 in which he says an HGV struck his Grade II listed home, causing tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage.
Now the council has indicated that evidence gathered by residents could help authorities go beyond dealing with individual incidents and potentially identify companies which repeatedly fail to comply with restrictions.
Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, and a Malmesbury resident, said: “We are working closely with our enforcement partners on a more coordinated approach to vehicles suspected of breaching weight restrictions.
“This is intended to allow information about potential breaches to help build an intelligence picture, with repeated reports potentially supporting further investigation and, where appropriate, referral to the Traffic Commissioner.
“This is important because action can then focus not simply on individual vehicle movements, but potentially on persistent non-compliance by operators.”
However, taking action relies heavily on the quality of evidence available.
The council and police require video evidence capable of identifying vehicles involved, making footage from residents an important part of building a picture of any repeated problems.
That could mean cameras capturing offending HGVs become key to determining whether the same operators are repeatedly involved.
The response follows concerns raised by Mr Manton, who believes sat-nav systems are directing HGV drivers off the M4 and through Malmesbury rather than keeping them on more suitable routes around the town.
Mr Manton has pointed towards measures used in nearby Tetbury, where he says signs redirect unsuitable vehicles before they reach the centre, and has called for a wider approach to the problem.
The issue comes as Wiltshire Council considers the wider movement of freight across the county.
At the end of August, the authority launched a consultation on a new Freight Action Plan looking specifically at how freight and HGV traffic should be routed across Wiltshire.