COMMENT
Please read this if you ever have goods
delivered direct to your home (especially if
you live in Gundleton).
For some years we have been concerned
about large lorries causing problems on
our very narrow, twisty lanes. (I’m not
talking about farm lorries – they are a
necessary part of country life.) After
warnings to the companies, the problems
died down somewhat. Now it seems to be
happening again, but with deliveries to
private houses. This could be the result of
the increase in on-line purchasing, with
lorry sizes expanding to meet the demand,
trying to make delivery schedules as
economical as possible.
We live on the corner at Gundleton and
recently, part of our fence, along with the
Parish noticeboard and fencing opposite,
was destroyed by a reversing lorry with
trailer trying to make the impossible turn
from Northside Lane left into Bighton Lane.
Luckily there were witnesses and the
company’s insurance paid up.
A week or so before Christmas I rushed
out to the corner to see another artic, far
too big for the lane, stationary in Northside
Lane at the crossroads in Gundleton. He
couldn’t make the right turn into
Goscombe Lane, so he left the lorry
blocking the junction, walked down the
lane to the delivery address (a house)
found no-one in, and walked back.
I know these are not particularly busy lanes,
but if you come up to that sort of traffic jam,
there’s nowhere to go. I took a photograph
of the lorry (driver’s comment “I hope you
got my best side!”) and explained that I was
tracking lorries that came up the lane
ignoring the blue warning sign at the bottom
saying “Not suitable for heavy lorries”. The
driver’s response was “It’s only an advisory,
not a no-entry sign”. He was obliged to
continue on to Bighton, and presumably
from there to Alresford to get back to the
main roads, since he could not turn round
where he was. I blame satnav, of course,
but the fact remains that if the company had
been warned, maybe the driver could have
used an alternative route, or even (we may
dream!) a smaller lorry.
Now that delivery lorries are getting bigger
and bigger, and more people are ordering
goods via the internet, can we make a plea
to residents to remember to alert these
companies that large lorries will have
difficulties in these narrow lanes. Some
websites actually have a “Delivery
instructions” box you can complete with any
special advice.
I must be honest, we’re starting to get panic
attacks every time we hear that familiar
‘Beep, beep, beep’ of a reversing lorry on
the corner!
Jill Buss
PARISH EDUCATION
TRUST
The Parish Education Trust is available to
help with the cost of books, material and
other educational requirements for anyone
in the parish of any age. If you would like
to apply for assistance with educational
expenses, please put your request in
writing to the Churchwarden, Lady
Wakeham at Pinglestone House, Old
Alresford, SO24 9TBL.
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