February 17, 2022 9.00 pm This story is over 25 months old

HGV ‘carnage’ in Goxhill ‘an accident waiting to happen’

The road is not wide enough for them to pass
HGV problems in South End, Goxhill | Submitted by Claire Ramsay-Mayes

A narrow village road where lorries constantly meet head on is ‘an accident waiting to happen’ according to one local resident.

Up to 50 HGVs can travel down South End in Goxhill every hour at peak times, despite it not being wide enough for them to pass.

Drivers have to reverse long distances or mount the pavement when they meet on the road.

A woman who lives at the narrowest point of the road says it can become “carnage” when dozens of lorries are trying to get through.

Claire Ramsay-Mayes wants the council to bring order to the chaos before someone is hurt.

“I know lorries have to go through the village, that’s unavoidable. But this road simply isn’t wide enough for them to travel in both directions,” she said.

“My son was nearly hit a few years ago when a lorry mounted the pavement to squeeze through.

“My neighbour has had his hedge crushed because it is so narrow and unsafe for pedestrians.

“It’s an accident waiting to happen.

“We would see 20 to 30 vehicles in normal day, but at peak times when a ship is loading or unloading at the docks, it can be as many as 50 every hour. It’s carnage, and this will carry on through the night.

“The drivers don’t have a choice on where they go, so it’s up to the council to do something.”

Videos of encounters show lorries becoming stuck for several minutes as they meet head-to-head in the narrow lanes.

Residents were consulted about a one-way system through the village several years ago.

However, the version that eventually went before them proved unpopular with those living in the north end of the village.

Flex-bollards have been fitted along part of the pavement to mitigate the problem, and the speed limit has been dropped from 60mp to 30mph.

Claire wants to see a more permanent solution.

“The road hasn’t changed for as long as I’ve lived here, but unfortunately lorries have got bigger and more frequent.

“It’s time for the council to do something,” she said.

“Ideally we would have a relief road that could take the lorries around the village but we know that money for this doesn’t grow on trees.

“There has been talk of draining a dyke to create a lay-by – this is likely to make our flooding issues worse though.

“I would like to see emergency measures introduced at peak times to direct the lorries off ships.

“It would also be wonderful to have a restriction on them using the road after 6pm so that we aren’t kept awake all night.”

A spokesperson for North Lincolnshire Council said: “The council has been working with Goxhill residents to reduce the impact of lorries in the area.  We have reduced the speed limit on this road from 60mph to 30mph, installed bollards to protect the pavement and cut back hedges to improve vision.

“We consulted Goxhill residents on a one-way scheme and they overwhelmingly rejected it.

“We continue to work with local companies to manage HGV traffic safely through the narrow section of road.”