July 5, 2021 12.44 pm This story is over 32 months old

New cycle lanes hope to solve decades of HGV parking problems

People say lorries blighted their village for decades
The lorries have been parking overnight and causing problems for residents for "decades". | Photo: Councillor Alexander Maughan

New cycle lanes and restrictions are hoping to solve decades of anti-social problems with heavy goods vehicles in a Lincolnshire village – including litter and human waste.

Lincolnshire County Council’s planning and regulation committee voted in favour of the plans which will install new cycle facilities along Main Road in Long Bennington.

The proposals will also introduce parking restrictions which aim to tackle overnight parking by HGVs, including a 24-hour ban where cycle lanes along the road are “mandatory”.

Where they are “advisory” the ban will be from 8am-5pm for most vehicles but also with 5pm-8am for vehicles over five tonnes.

Council officers said the proposed time periods would allow access to nearby sports facilities including the bowling club.

The cycle lanes will also link the village with existing facilities along the A1 and towards Newark.

Lincolnshire County Council received from central government last year almost £55 million to go towards transport improvements in the county, including cycling provision.

Ward councillor Alexander Maughan told councillors: “[The plans had] the added bonus that it will remove the dangerous overnight lorry parking from the north end of the village.

“We have suffered for well over a decade with 20 to 30 HGVs every night parking along the north end of the village and leaving high levels of litter and human waste in our village verges.”

HGVs have been blighting the road and causing danger to residents. | Photo: Councillor Alexander Maughan

Following the meeting he said: “This has been an important issue in this village for a long time. We have finally got a solution that has the added benefits of improving cycle lanes to Newark as well.”

He said he himself had had a number of near misses with vehicles looking to park who had turned around in the road in a dangerous manner.

Residents had raised concerns over the displacement of the HGVs into the village itself, however, council officers moved to reassure committee members this was “unlikely”.

However, they added that they would monitor the situation and react accordingly.