Police to investigate HGVs driving into Melton Mowbray on weight-restricted road
Police are looking into why so many HGVs have been spotted driving along Burton Road despite a 7.5-tonne weight restriction aimed at keeping them away from the town centre.
Readers have contacted the Melton Times about this issue, others have posted on social media and the local MP has also flagged it up – instances appear to have increased since the new Pork Pie Way partial bypass was opened in May.
Critics of the bypass route have long pointed out that the absence of a southern link to the bypass means a large voiume of traffic coming from the Leicester and Rutland directions will still filter into the town.
Sgt Paul Granger, who is responsible for Melton Mowbray's five neighbourhood beats, posted on the Melton force Facebook page that he was aware of the problem and it was being investigated.
He said: “Part of that work will involve speaking to drivers and identifying why some HGVs are using this route.
"Not every lorry on Burton Road is necessarily there unlawfully, as some may have legitimate access for local deliveries.
"We want to understand the situation properly before drawing conclusions and gather evidence that can help inform any longer-term solutions.
"One of the things I've already noticed is that the route signage towards Nottingham is clear, whereas routes towards Leicester are less obvious.
"Whether that is contributing to the issue is something we will be looking at in more detail.
"If changes are needed, we will work with the relevant highways partners to explore them.”
Melton & Syston MP Edward Argar, writing in his latest Melton Times, stated: “While the new bypass does appear in its early days to be having a positive impact more widely, it appears that some HGVs, likely travelling from east out to the west of Melton towards Leicester, continue to travel up Burton Road and through the town centre as the bypass does not link up with the Leicester Road out of Melton, until its southern leg is built in the future.”
He said police had an important role in enforcing weight restrictions on roads, adding: “On behalf of local residents I have already written to the Police and Crime Commissioner raising this issue, and calling on him to take it up with the Chief Constable and local Police to find a positive way forward - I hope that, working together, these different organisations can help to find a solution for local residents.”
Sgt Granger said officers are also committed to tackling a number of reports they have had from the public of drivers speeding and behaving anti-socially on Pork Pie Way.
We reported last month that police had stopped ‘a large number’ of drivers for speeding during an evening monitoring traffic on the new road.
On the new initiative, Sgt Granger said speed enforcement equipment would be deployed on sections of the new road ‘to identify and deal with any speeding or unsafe driving where appropriate’.
On the issues of the HGVs using Burton Road and speeding drivers on the bypass, Sgt Granger added: “I've listened to those concerns and, over the coming weeks, my neighbourhood team will be carrying out a dedicated day of action focusing on both issues.”
Offences and issues can be reported to police at www.leics.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime or by calling 101.