HGVs face tougher road rules as petition demands enforcement for larger vehicles

Heavy Goods Vehicles could be blocked from using a busy Surrey road overnight under new plans after residents launched a campaign over speeding traffic, noise and safety fears.

It comes after more than 450 people have signed a petition urging Surrey County Council to introduce tougher enforcement on the A244 through Oxshott.

Campaigners have warned that lorries continue to ignore an overnight ban and drivers regularly exceed the speed limit.

The petition, organised by the Federation of Oxshott Residents and Associations, has called for Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras to enforce the overnight HGV restriction.

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Residents are also demanding speed cameras, safer crossings, continuous pavements and other road safety improvements.

Campaigners argue that previous measures have failed because they are not being properly enforced.

Supporting the petition, Councillor Andy Burton said: "The continuous heavy traffic has a devastating impact on village life and many residents living close to the road."

The A244 was once a B-road but has become a major route linking the A3 with the A243 and M25.

According to the petition, it now carries between 17,000 and 20,000 vehicles every day, including more than 500 Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Residents explained that traffic levels have increased over the years because of housing growth and because drivers increasingly use Oxshott as a shortcut between major roads.

Three years ago, the council introduced an overnight HGV restriction and reduced the speed limit to 20mph through the village centre.

However, campaigners warned that the changes have had little effect because there is not enough enforcement.

The petition said: "HGV night time volumes average 50-100 on weekdays and can be over 300 when they should be nil," the petition detailed.

"Residents also explained how damaged road surfaces and speeding lorries make the problem worse during the night.

"The disturbance this creates at night is exacerbated by the speed of travel and the poor quality road surface, leading to much greater noise levels."

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According to traffic surveys commissioned by FEDORA, almost two-thirds of vehicles exceed the speed limit after entering the village.

The petition also claimed that around 80 per cent of vehicles travel faster than the 20mph limit through the village centre.

One of the campaign's biggest concerns is the safety of children travelling to school.

Oxshott has more than 1,000 pupils across three schools, with many walking along or across the A244 every day.

The petition states: "Children walking to school must cross a road carrying more than 18,000 vehicles per day, often travelling in excess of speed limits, up to 30 times per week."

Residents also claimed there are no controlled pedestrian crossings and no continuous pavement through parts of the village, forcing children and other pedestrians to cross the road repeatedly.

As part of the campaign, residents have asked the council to introduce six separate measures.

These include installing ANPR cameras to enforce the overnight HGV ban, introducing spot speed cameras in both directions, improving road signs, and creating continuous pavements into the village centre.

Other measures include installing a controlled pedestrian crossing where needed, adding traffic-calming measures at the entrances to the village and extending resurfacing work further along the A244 to tackle potholes.

A council spokesperson said: "Once the petition is submitted, it will be considered carefully and a formal response will be provided. We will be able to update further in due course."

The petition will remain available on Surrey County Council's website until September 2. If enough support is secured, councillors will formally consider the requests as part of the authority's petition process.

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