Proposed weight limit in West Wiltshire

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Update for Parishes 16 March 2009

The propsals will be advertised from 19th March 2009 and details of each of the orders are:

• 7.5T One Way Weight Restriction Order - East Knoyle 19kb
• 7.5T One Way Weight Restriction S of R - East Knoyle 10kb
• 7.5T Weight Restriction Order Chapmanslade and Corsley 25kb
• 7.5T Weight Restriction S of R Chapmanslade and Corsley 11kb
• 7.5T Weight Restriction Order Maiden Bradley Area 48kb
• 7.5T Weight Restriction S of R Maiden Bradley 12kb
• 18T Weight Restriction Order - Corsley 28kb
• 18T Weight Restriction Order S of R - Corsley 11kb
• Prohibition of Right Hand Turn Order - Furze Hedge 16kb
• Prohibition of Right Hand Turn S of R - Furze Hedge 11kb
• Briefing Paper from signed off report 31kb
• ITM Wiltshire Parish and Town Councils 18kb
• Weight Restriction Press Notice 1 22kb
• Maiden Bradley proposed weight restrictions (A362, A3098, B3098) 19.4mb

In addition, copies of the draft Orders, plans and Statement of the Council’s Reasons for proposing to make the Orders may be inspected at the offices of the Director of Environmental Services. Details of the proposed scheme may be seen at Warminster Town Council, Dewey House, North Row, Warminster between the hours of 9.30am & 4.30pm Monday to Friday and Frome Town Council, 5 Palmer Street, Frome between the hours of 9.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9.30am – 12.30pm on Friday until 14 April 2009.

The closing date for representations is 14th April 2009

Wiltshire Council has adopted a Freight Route Network to inform HGV drivers of the most appropriate routes in Wiltshire.  The villages of Corsley Heath (on the A362), Chapmanslade (on the A3098) and Maiden Bradley (on the B3092) are not designated freight routes but still experience high levels of HGV traffic that have a negative affect on the quality of life for residents in these villages.  After discussions with Somerset County Council, an objective assessment framework tool, Large Vehicles in Rural Areas (LVIRA), has been applied to establish the environmental, safety, social and economic impacts of proposed weight limits in West Wiltshire.  The assessment tool demonstrates that when all the above factors are taken into account there is a net benefit for society to be realised if the proposed weight restrictions outlined below were to be implemented.  

Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet held on 23^rd January 2007 resolved to approve the advertisement of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) for the following weight restrictions as proposed by the Council’s traffic consultants, Mouchel:

• The existing 17T weight restriction on the A3098 should be replaced by a reduced 7.5T restriction.
• The existing 17T west bound restriction on the A362 through Corsley Heath should be modified to include eastbound vehicles and increased to 18T.
• A 7.5T weight limit zone should be introduced over a wide area straddling the B3092 which would extend from the County boundary in the west to the A350 in the east, and from the Stourhead junction on the B3092 to the County boundary to the south. The weight limit should also be applied to all the ‘B’ and ‘C’ classification roads that would fall within this zone to address potential “rat running” through other communities including Kilmington, Kilmington Common, “The Deverills”, and Horningsham.
• The existing west bound 7.5T weight restriction on the B3089 should be revoked between its junction with the A350 and the A303 at Willoughby Hedge in order to address safety concerns regarding the A350/A303 junction.  To complement the east bound weight limit on the B3089, the Council intends to advertise a right turn ban for HGVs in excess of 7.5 tonnes from the A350 to the A303.

During the Cabinet meeting, it was also agreed that a Bespoke Consultation Process would be developed to ensure that any response received to the TROs would be an informed response.  The consultation plan has been developed in consultation with key stakeholders and was endorsed by the council on 6^th October 2008. Details of the plan can be found in the Maiden Bradley proposed weight restrictions (A362, A3098, B3098) 19.4mb

It is planned to implement the Bespoke Consultation Process during January and February 2009.  

At the same time that the Council has been developing the proposed weight limits, the Highways Agency (HA) has conducted an accident investigation report between the junctions of the A303 and the A350 (Furze Hedge) and the B3089 (Willoughby Hedge).  In June 2008, the HA’s consultants issued the final report.  One of the options identified by the HA’s consultants to improve the accident record on this stretch of the A303 was to utilise the B3089.  Whilst this scheme was shown to be a viable option, the HA informed the Council that their preferred option is to construct a second slip road to the south of the A303 and close the A303/B3089 junction to right turning traffic.  The proposal’s objectives are to improve the accident record at these two junctions on the A303.  

The HA’s current timetable for its preferred option is to undertake design work in 2008-09 and deliver the scheme in 2010-11.  However, the HA has indicated that its preferred option will be subject to a series of evaluations throughout its development.  Consequently, the HA is unable to confirm if or when its preferred option will come to fruition.  Bearing in mind the lack of certainty with the HA’s preferred scheme, the Council has decided to pursue the weight limits on the B3089 outlined above as an interim measure.  

Last updated: 1 April 2009