Residents of Melbury Abbas in Dorset have raised over £11,000 to take legal action against Dorset County Council after lorries were rerouted through their village, causing frequent traffic jams. The village, with a population of just 300, has recorded over 1,400 jams since June 2016, when the council diverted southbound HGVs from the A350 through the narrow streets.
The 16-foot-wide road is so tight that even a Smart car struggles to pass the lorries, leading to an average of 18 jams per week, each lasting 27 minutes. Police have closed the road completely 15 times to clear blockages, and one HGV came within two inches of hitting a Grade II listed building. Damage has also been reported to verges, signs, walls, and telephone poles.
Villagers have spent £5,000 on legal fees and exceeded a crowdfunding target of £5,000 by £1,685 to file for a judicial review in the High Court. William Kenealy, chairman of the parish council, said: 'We thought the council would see sense and bin this scheme. They can’t plead ignorance because we have been letting them know about these issues for some time.'
The council has made the changes permanent and plans to add another electric sign warning northbound lorries, but residents say this will not solve the problem. Kenealy added: 'Another sign won’t work... a car or a van cannot pass an HGV lorry in these narrow streets.'
A council spokesman said they are monitoring the situation and remain convinced the decision is correct. Councillor Daryl Turner stated: 'We are all in agreement that this option is the better solution at this point in time, but it is by no means the end of the story.'
