Flower bed ‘destroyed’ as lorries blight residential street near Horsham

A man is calling for action to stop a residential street near Horsham becoming a ‘rat run’.
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Sargent Way resident David Smith said he fears his road will be used as a cut through by cars instead of using the newly built Broadbridge Heath bypass.

The IT worker, who lives in Wickhurst Green said the road is already being used by 40ft lorries, one of which ‘destroyed’ a flower bed outside his house.

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David, 46, added: “It’s just ridiculous. When it’s dirty great lorries coming through it becomes a bit of a concern.”

David said lorries have been blighting his road. Photo: David SmithDavid said lorries have been blighting his road. Photo: David Smith
David said lorries have been blighting his road. Photo: David Smith

He said planners who had approved the layout ‘clearly had no intention of ever going to the estate or living on the estate’.

David added: “We’re getting more cars coming through already. On the first day – we have got a massive trench in one of the flower beds.

“We had a dirty great Artic [lorry] come through and cut the corner. That’s destroyed that part of the flower bed.

“It’s a complete disaster.”

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David said that sat navs take lorries through the residential street, leaving drivers having to turn around or squeeze through parked cars.

He is calling for traffic measures to be installed to make the road safer.

David added: “There needs to be width restrictions, signs saying access only or a camera. It needs to be something that’s actually effective.

“Make it as hard as is possible for people to use it as a rat run.

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“I don’t think we should be having 40ft Artics coming through a residential estate.”

A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: “We are aware of this issue and the area highway manager and local county councillor visited the site on September 3. As a result, some additional signage will be considered to highlight that the road is unsuitable for HGVs.

“In partnership with our stakeholders, we will review if there is any scope to improve the current layout, bearing in mind this would have been decided at the planning stage.

“We would also point out this will take some time and any proposals would be dependent on available resources.”

Horsham District Council has been approached for comment.

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