MOBBERLEY residents are growing increasingly concerned with heavy goods vehicles using the village’s narrow roads inappropriately.

Pauline Hoult, of Slade Lane, has been reporting incidents of lorries getting stuck at the bridge where her road meets Smith Lane for several years.

Daily incidents of drivers following out-of-date satellite navigation are causing long delays for motorists, with police officers often required to redirect the vehicles away from the area.

Pauline has informed Cheshire East Council of the issue, which has caused damage to the bridge following earlier repairs worth £38,000.

She said: “HGVs approach the bridge at speed, but cannot find a way through because it’s too narrow.

“Drivers are then required to reverse back almost a mile to Town Lane, but few are able to do this as their vehicles are so big.

“The problem has already caused damage to the bridge, and to the embankment surrounding the area, yet it still hasn’t been resolved.”

Many lorries are using the road as a route to Harman Technology Ltd, with a significant number of vehicles coming from other European Union countries.

Pauline and her husband Martin have previously requested that CEC erect a new sign, making clear that the road is unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles.

Lorry route signs have been installed to assist drivers following satnav on the approach to Harman’s, but vehicles are still trying to cross the bridge.

“We recently had police from Wilmslow here to guide a foreign, inexperienced driver back up Slade Lane to Hobcroft Lane – he very nearly took out my pine trees!

“Horse riders are frequent users of the lanes as are pedestrians, many of whom are children, who walk or cycle for pleasure or from the railway station.

“There is no footpath and no street lights. There is nowhere to go should you meet the big trucks other than to try to climb the steep banks.

“You wonder what it will take for CEC to finally resolve the issue – it could cause a serious injury or even a death.”

In correspondence with Pauline, David Thomason, highways engineer at CEC, said: “I understand the frustration but monies are not always available to do what we want to do.

“Some new signs have been installed in the area to combat the HGV problem, which is by no means exclusive to the Slade Lane area.

“I do agree existing signs need improving and an application for monies for a width restriction order that can be enforced by the police will be made at the next local highways group meeting in September.

“We have also been in touch with satnav companies, giving them details of approved routes in the area and roads restricted either in width or height, but we cannot make HGV drivers read signs or buy new satnav devices.”