STATEMENT:
We the undersigned petition the Council to:
• Implement a 20mph zone on the speed-humped High Pittington road; Also Low Pittington, Sherburn & Sherburn Hill
• Consider width/weight restrictions for HGVs
• Carry out “origin and destination surveys” on HGVs then examine diversions options or similar
• Examine the road surface in the villages to see if vibration caused by HGV traffic which is damaging residents' property and causing unacceptable noise levels can be addressed through resurfacing measures
• Look at ways to curtail late night & early morning travel by empty log wagons that bang and rattle and wake people at unsociable hours
• To examine if noise/nuisance or other regulations can be applied to timber lorries travelling through the villages late at night
• To examine the safety of the hill-bend from Low to High Pittington where HGVs consistently drive in the middle of the road, block and mount pavements
• To identify specific local/area-wide strategic solutions and view as a strategic Highways problem just as City/Town Highways issues would be
JUSTIFICATION:
There is an long term, ongoing and growing impact associated with the problems of the speed, frequency and volumes of HGVs (timber and haulage) often travelling in convoy and queuing at pinch points, including double length multi axle open trailers, through the villages – for many of these HGV vehicles it is unclear why they need to travel the route they do.
The current statutory speed limits and absence of weight or width restrictions do not provide residents with the protection they need in terms of safety and quality of life. The danger and disturbance from HGVs travelling at current speeds has been well documented over many years. The noise generated by them, exacerbated due to their volume, running times, frequency and 30mph speeds, create such a disturbance that residents are unable to sleep undisturbed at night, open their windows nor enjoy the open spaces around their homes, including their private gardens.
Sleep disturbance/depravation with accompanying stress is a common occurrence amongst residents, affecting both their mental and physical health. Safety of pedestrians and other road users is also compromised, particularly on the high streets and narrow hill-bend linking Low to High Pittington, not least by the regular road blockages, HGVs parking on bends on the wrong side of the road, mounting of pavements, shedding of bark strips and quarry/works dust, and at Sherburn Village mini roundabout junction where numerous accidents have occurred.
HGVs commonly charge at speed throughout these areas and
particularly through High Pittington and going down Sherburn Hill
bank. There has been dangerous overtaking and other dangerous HGV
behaviour, such as double length log wagons reversing the distance
from the top of Sherburn Hill bank back to the entrance of
Taylormade Timber company, and HGVs charging and intimidating
on-coming traffic at the chicane on Pittington Bank and on the
narrow bend. HGVs travelling through the villages have also
collided with parked and moving vehicles causing damage and
residents have reported concerns due to vibration in their homes,
disturbing and waking them, and affecting their property.
The narrow hill-bend at the bottom of High Pittington bank is
regularly causing head-on near-misses and log-jams of traffic (due
to HGVs needing to take the bend in the middle of the road) and
danger to pedestrians as the pavement is regularly mounted by the
HGVs here and along the route with kerbstones/paths damaged; also
through Sherburn Village where there have been similar issues and
numerous accidents at the mini roundabout junction.
We would urge Durham County Council, its senior officers and Councillors, to now support and work in partnership with us all to ensure that our residents cease to be significantly adversely impacted by these HGV related problems.
It should also be noted by The Council that all four affected villages are in solidarity with one another by petitioning for specific local and area wide strategic solutions to these ongoing problems. Please do not dismiss these serious concerns of a great many residents, because in doing so Durham County Council would risk being perceived as having ignored the significant negative impact that residents have been, and continue to be, subjected to when we are asking for your help.
This ePetition ran from 15/12/2020 to 30/07/2021 and has now finished.
113 people signed this ePetition.