Declares that residents of Eccleshall and Woodseaves object to the use of the A519 (running through Eccleshall and Woodseaves) by HGVs; further that the Petitioners object to the application for a new access road to serve the Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate, which would increase HGV use of the A519; further that the new access point would be more dangerous because large HGVs would be turning to join a 60mph road; further that the number of these vehicles using the A519 route has become completely unacceptable, with hundreds passing through a day; further that the increased HGV traffic poses a serious danger to pedestrians; further that the risk of a crash is high, and could cause considerable damage to property and loss of life; further that the subsequent volume of HGVs using Stafford Street and Castle Street in Eccleshall means they are damaging the road surface; further that this situation has led to problems in Eccleshall because HGVs have difficulty passing each other on the Stafford Road outside the Claremont Garage, putting pedestrians at risk; further that the pavements in Woodseaves are very narrow, and HGVs are mounting them to pass one another; further that the A519 is not a primary route and there is no intention of it becoming a primary route and that Satellite Navigation companies should be advised of this matter; further that planning permission has been provided for haulage companies to set up in the Eccleshall area with a focus on the A519; further that Woodseaves residents in particular have been forced to abandon their front gardens because of noise and pollution, they are unable to sleep at night because of the noise, and their homes are being damaged by the weight of HGV traffic on the road; and further that approximately 3 HGVs pass through Woodseaves per minute.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department of Transport to impose a speed restriction and weight limit on HGVs using the A519, to object to the proposed application for a new access road off the A519 that will serve the Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate and to advise Satellite Navigation companies that the A519 is not a primary route.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Sir William Cash, Official Report, 25 March 2015; Vol. 594, c. 1543.]

[P001482]

Observations from the Secretary of State for Transport:

Local highway authorities are responsible for managing the highway network in their areas. They have a responsibility to provide appropriate traffic management schemes for their roads. Local authorities have powers under sections 1 and 2 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to make Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) designed to regulate, restrict or prohibit the use of a road or any part of the width of a road by vehicular traffic for a wide range of safety and environmental reasons.

For the A519, the local highway authority is Staffordshire County Council. It is for them to decide whether to implement a Traffic Regulation Order for vehicles using the A519. In respect of speed limits the Department for Transport (DfT) sets national speed limits and publishes guidelines for local highway authorities on the use of local speed limits. This guidance can be found on the gov.uk site at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/63975/circular-01-2013.pdf.

A local highway authority is not required to follow the guidance set out by DfT and can apply its own criteria in determining whether local speed or weight limits are appropriate.

The planning application for a new access road for the Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate is before Stafford Borough Council. They are the local planning authority who will decide whether to approve or reject the application. It is for the local highway authority, Staffordshire County Council, to object to the application if there are what is considers unacceptable implications on the A519, or work with the applicants and the planning authority where the proposed development is not suitable.

The A519 is a non-primary route. This information is reflected in mapping and signage of the road. Satnav manufacturers produce special devices for heavy goods vehicles to provide them with routing information appropriate to their vehicle, including warning them about low bridges and narrow lanes, saving time, fuel and money as well as reducing the impact on local communities.

Neither the Department nor individual local authorities have any direct power over the routing guidance offered by satnav devices. Routing guidance provided by satnavs should only ever be considered advisory; it is for motorists to determine the best route for their journey.