MORE than a year after traffic orders came into force to ban heavy lorries from roads leading to Dorchester’s tip – Dorset Council has not been able put up road signs warning of the restrictions.

It means that drivers can continue to use the roads without fear of prosecution.

Residents in, and around Lubbecke Way, say that for two years now they have put up with the problems which have included noise, pollution and damaged vehicles.

The difficulties started when the council switched the main tip route, which also services Louds Mill industrial estate, from St George’s Road to Lubbecke Way.

Residents, supported by Dorchester town council, campaigned for HGV restrictions which eventually became law in in November 2019.

Residents and local councillors say that despite this there are still no signs banning heavy lorries from St George’s Road, or the other roads which come off it, including Eddison Avenue and Long Bridge Way.

Local councillor Tony Lyall says he is angry that the situation has gone on so long: “We have been waiting for a year for weight restriction notices. One went up, saying the restriction would start a few hundred yards ahead, but that is all.”

He says in the absence of any signage lorries are continuing to get to the area via St George’s Road and Long Bridge Way.

“It’s chaos. There is currently nothing to stop them,” said Cllr Lyall.

Fellow town Cllr Stella Jones has campaigned on the issue since Lubbecke Way was opened as the main access to the tip without the introduction of weight or parking restrictions at the same time. She says that within days there was traffic problems as lorries tried to weave through parked cars with many reports of damage to residents’ vehicles in and around Long Bridge Way where HGV drivers negotiated the tight corner.

Said Cllr Jones: “At the moment there are no signs prohibiting HGVs. A weight restriction has been in existence for a year to stop HGVs on Long Bridge Way but there is still no sign.

"I, and the town council, have been asking for months that the promised signs are erected. They had plenty of time to do this before Covid. It sounds like another excuse for delaying even longer,” she said.

“Residents are still having to put up with large vehicles going down Eddison Avenue, St George’s Road and Long Bridge Way because of a lack of signage.

“I was promised a slow sign would be painted on the road opposite houses in Lubbecke Way - even that simple thing hasn’t been done …. I have been told the signs have been in the workshop for months, I expect the next excuse will be bad weather.”

Dorset Council say the traffic order came into effect on November 29th 2019 and restricts any vehicle of more than 7.5 tonnes from travelling along St Georges Road, from its junction with Eddison Avenue in an easterly direction to its junction with Long Bridge Way; and from travelling along Long Bridge Way, from its junction with St Georges Road in a northerly direction to its junction with Lubbecke Way.

Said a council statement: “All required non-illuminated signs have been erected, however there are two further illuminated signs required to be erected at the junction of St. Georges Road and Eddison Avenue, and at the junction of Long Bridge Way and Lubbecke Way.  These illuminated signs require additional electricity supplies and unfortunately delays to service delivery and in the council’s supply chain due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic have impacted on the time-frames for both erecting the illuminated signs and installing the required new power supplies.

“Council officers are prioritising this matter and it is hoped to be resolved as soon as is possible.”