Police take action to stop banned lorries (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Police take action to stop banned lorries

POLICE and trading standards officers have answered the call of villagers to stop lorries driving through their community illegally.

Lorries weighing over 25 tonnes are banned from travelling along the B4077 through Upper Swell because of the damage they cause to the village's Cotswold stone bridge.

Signs directing heavy vehicles to travel by alternative routes are in place near the village, but residents have reported incidents of drivers ignoring these restrictions.

In an effort to prevent future offences, police and trading standards were in the village yesterday to erect signs warning drivers that Lorry Watch is in operation.

The new scheme will see villagers helping to enforce local road restrictions by noting the registration numbers and details of heavy goods vehicles travelling through the village illegally.

This information will then be passed to Gloucestershire's trading standards department which will send written warnings to owners of offending vehicles.

Individuals or companies that offend a second time will face prosecution.

In addition, trading standards officers will visit Upper Swell at intervals in the coming months to carry out spot checks of their own.

PC Chris Skinner, rural beat officer for Stow, promised villagers the full support of local police, who will also enforce any breaches of the weight restriction they witness.

"The bridge at Upper Swell just wasn't designed to cope with these large, heavy lorries," he said.

"These vehicles are an obvious threat to the stability of the bridge, but they also present a safety threat locally to pedestrians and other road users.

"With the help of villagers we're hoping that Lorry Watch will encourage drivers of HGVs weighing over 25 tonnes to seek an alternative route.

"If they decide to ignore the warnings they can expect action to be taken."