Weight restrictions imposed to protect residential streets (From The Northern Echo)

Weight restrictions imposed to protect residential streets

3:37pm Monday 20th February 2012 in Stockton News

CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after weight restrictions were imposed to prevent heavy goods vehicles driving through built-up areas near Durham Tees Va lley Airport.

Residents battled for ten years to get the changes put in place on a 200-metre stretch of the A67 in Durham Lane, Eaglescliffe, and maintain it is about quality of life issues and not them being anti-business.

The restriction means HGV traffic from the nearby industrial estate and from businesses in the location of Durham Tees Va lley Airport will no longer be able to drive through parts of Eaglescliffe, Yarm and Kirklevington.

Yarm ward councillor Andrew Sherris sees the trial run as a major step in improving the environment and quality of life for residents.

"This scheme had to be introduced to reduce lorries, particularly from the airport area, coming from Long Newton down the A66 and offat Elton into Durham Lane, " he said.

"We've been accused of being anti-business, which is not the case. We appreciate the tight margins operators are working to, but, at the end of the day, these lorries should not be trundling through residential areas.

"We would ask companies to respect this new restriction and advise that the police will beclosely monitoring this."

Stockton Borough Council intends to assess the success of the temporary scheme before making a decision on making the weight restriction permanent. A spokesman said: "Early feedback already suggests fewer heavy goods vehicles are using the Yarm High Street route."