Councils call for lorries to banned from using car sat-navs

Pic:A lorry strikes a railway bridge in Tulse Hill
Staff reporter(wp/es):

Lorry drivers should be banned from using sat-navs designed for cars after a spate of smashes up and down Britain, councils have claimed.

The plea was made by the Local Government Association (LGA) after recent “chaos” on British roads where lorries exceeded the weight or height limit.

The group, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, want legislation introduced so only commercial sat-navs should be used by HGV drivers.

The models are slightly more expensive than regular sat-navs and include information on bridge heights and narrow roads.

The group said recent accidents involved lorries ripping off their roofs on low bridges and wedging themselves in historic town centres causing mayhem for motorists.

Network Rail figures show there were more than 1,700 such incidents in Britain during 2015/16.

Rail services on a commuter line on the outskirts of Birmingham were delayed on Monday after a lorry smashed into a bridge, ripping the roof off its trailer.

A historic bridge in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, was closed for months after it was driven over by a lorry more than 10 times heavier than the structure's weight limit in September last year.

Residents in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, reported chaotic scenes when a lorry got stuck after being driven through the town's main shopping street in October.

Local authorities in Wales and London have the power to take action if lorry drivers break the law, but councils are urging the Government to roll this out across the whole of England.

The LGA said the money raised from fines could be put towards tackling the backlog in fixing potholes, which could reach an estimated £14 billion over the next two years.

LGA Transport spokesman Cllr Martin Tett said: "There has been a spate of recent accidents involving lorry drivers driving irresponsibly and causing chaos. 

“The Government must start taking this issue more seriously and give councils the legislative tools to help their communities and other motorists.

"It is common sense that all lorry drivers should use satnavs designed for trucks, but this is only going to become a reality when it is a mandatory requirement. 

“We are talking about a very small extra cost to drivers.

"Lorry drivers who get wedged in narrow roads or under bridges not only endanger themselves, other road users and pedestrians, but also cause massive disruption.

“This has a significant impact on local economies, particularly in rural areas.

"Some rural communities are fed-up with lorries ignoring weight restrictions and using their streets. The additional noise, vibration and pollution make their lives miserable.”

An AA spokesman called on councils to ensure warning signs are clearly visible.

He said: "If a particular road has a particular problem then it's up to the local authority to come up with the signage to deal with that. 

“And obviously if the lorry or any other road user contravenes that road order and that signage then they are open to a penalty."