Call for fight against lorries illegally driving through Tewkesbury

“I don't think that this is a job for traffic wardens. As Matt says, there should be ANPR cameras, as there are in Brockworth, where they seem to work well.”

“Tewkesbury still living in the dark ages. That's why nobody is intrested who wants to go there it's boring .”

“Isnt it only a 7.5T limit except for access? I cant see a big truck wanting to go through town unless it needs access to somewhere local. Anyway the powers that know best will have done a survey before carefully installing the bollards to allow for the trucks and for the A38 being the old route for the few times the M5 or M50 is blocked. Wont they?”

“wvpTV

You seem to forget 18T and 26T trucks which is the normal size delivery truck because a 7.5 only carries 2.8T max stick a tail lift on the back this weight goes down a lot.

So what happens when a Transport company says "sorry we cant get to your factory/shop because of weight limits" and the load is to large for a 7.5 maybe they close down and relocate thus killing off your Town. (Please don't reply with "Except for access" because really every road is for access ;-)

Just a thought”

“Re: by taxidave1 Saturday, June 23 2012, 5:44PM - "...so apart from increasing the amount traffic through the towns you would also significantly increase the polution and the cost of your shopping."

It's not quite like that...

7.5 tonne trucks used wisely reduce Carbon and Pollution because they do less distribution miles and do not have to carry round 20 tonnes (reducing) as they go round each drop. Fuel consumption is very much better, 3 to 4 times less is achieved by some operators.

Thus shopping is actually cheaper than it would have been because delivery costs are lower.

The exception is large supermarkets or warehouses where a full 44 tonne lorry load can be dropped at one or two locations near each other.

Having said that, it's not a good idea to encourage (high profit) supermarkets because (currently) most adult staff need to claim benefits to afford to work (or still live with Mum and Dad). There are currently 10 million people in this (low pay) position in the UK. Thus they can't afford to get involved in the economy. By chance limiting truck sizes also helps limit the growth of in Town large stores with this kind of pay policy (Sainsbury, Tesco etc). To be fair, Aldi actually pay a living wage.”

“wvpTV What a stupid statement you have not got a clue. If all the towns only let in the smaller trucks you would need 6 of these for every large truck so apart from increasing the amount traffic through the towns you would also significantly increase the polution and the cost of your shopping.”

“Simple. Install ANPR cameras at each end of the weight limit. Then use DVLA vehicle records to identify over-weight vehicles in the area, and send their registered owners a fine. If over-weight vehicles are such an issue, the fines generated will soon pay for the installation of the cameras, and eventually the message will get through, and the problem will (more of less) go away. Clearly though the cameras need to be turned off when the A38 is employed as a diversion route for closures on the M5 / M50.

There are plenty of other shopping streets within weight limit zones up & down the country, and the shops there have to accept deliveries from smaller, lighter vehicles as a result. Why should shops in the centre of Tewkesbury therefore be any different?

The weight limit exists, and should therefore be enforced just like any other traffic restrictions (whether the offending vehicles are making deliveries in the town, or just through-traffic). Those that break the rules should be hit with a fine, otherwise they'll keep on doing it.”

“Re: by intheForest Saturday, June 23 2012, 1:21PM - "I wonder how these High St shops get stock delivered ? could it be by lorry ?"

Yes, by lorries under 7.5 tonnes, not 44 tonne size.”

“I wonder how these High St shops get stock delivered ? could it be by lorry ?

Come to that some of these new farm yard/small industrial estates lorry access is a problem, but no one ever thinks of that !!”

“Well said Chuck.

Isn't this a job for our over eager Traffic Wardens?

The lorries are "wilfully breaking the law" as some would put it, very different from an accidental parking overstay for a few minutes due to a shopping queue (eg: post office).”