‘Village of the Jammed’ faces ‘fresh hell’ of 12 more months of roadworks to repair damaged road blamed on controversial decision to direct HGVs along its narrow roads
A village long plagued by lorry traffic has faced ‘fresh hell’ as villagers struggle to repair 12 months of roadworks to repair damage caused by lorries.
Eight million pounds of taxpayers’ money will be spent reinforcing the ancient embankment nicknamed ‘Stuck Village’ along Dinah’s Hollow (single-lane C road) at Melbury Abbas in Dorset.
Truck traffic through the village has been diverted from the nearby A350 to the C13 (or Dinah’s Hollow) which runs through the village for over a decade.
Resident Derek Coombes said: ‘We’ve been stuck in choke points with so much traffic coming through the village it’s been hell for years, now we’re going to have another 12 months of entertainment hell.’
Trucks are sent this way to create an unofficial one-way system for trucks; Route A is used towards the north and route C is used towards the south.
Exasperated locals say there would be no need for these expensive repairs if Dorset Council had not decided to send heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) out of town in the first place.
The work required cutting down around 1,000 mature trees and hammering in steel rods to reinforce the embankment.
Highway authorities fear that landslides will occur and traffic will collapse.
But Mr Coombes said: ‘This was caused by HGV diversion.
Melbury Abbas, in Dorset near Shaftesbury, is nicknamed the ‘Stuck Village’ by clever locals because their village is regularly swamped by HGVs.
Local resident Derek Coombes said: “It’s been hell with so much traffic coming into the village for years and getting stuck in congested spots.”
Another resident, Vincent Crowse’s border wall was recently damaged by a HGV
‘Years ago there were signs saying the C13 was not suitable for HGVs and the council removed them when they started to differentiate them from the A350.
‘Now the council says the bank is unsafe and could be crushed if a car crashes.
‘I’ve been here 32 years and any decline I’ve seen has been absolutely minimal.
‘But if the bank is weakened it’s because trucks create tremendous vibration as they pass through the ditch.
‘The road was not made for them.’
He added: ‘I have no idea why this study will take a year.’
Another villager, Barry Freeman, echoed Mr Coombes’ words, saying: ‘The current problems eroding the base of the Hallow’s edges are solely due to HGVs increasing in size and weight; A child might tell you that it’s not suitable for a narrow-wide, steep-sided country road (not even a B-road).’
Vincent Crowse’s border wall was recently damaged by heavy vehicles.
Dorset Council proposes to spend £8m supporting C13 embankments
The municipality wants 1000 mature trees to be cut down and steel rods to be attached to the ground to strengthen the embankments against landslides.
‘In my opinion, this road is not a safe area to carry such heavy traffic. Now it will be even more unbearable’, said Vincent Crowse
He said: ‘There was a large amount of HGV traffic coming down our road and a lorry pulled into my house boundary.
‘He was trying to pass another truck coming from the opposite direction.
‘In my opinion, this road is not a safe area to carry such heavy traffic. Now it will become even more unbearable.’
However, a Dorset Council spokesman claimed HGVs using the C-road had not caused the embankment to weaken.
A spokesman said: ‘Many landslides over the years have posed a serious threat to public safety and as the highways authority, Dorset Council has a legal duty to make the area safe.
‘Although collapses have not occurred very frequently, prolonged rainfall, changes in surface water flow, vegetation conditions and road cutting can trigger a major collapse.
‘The stabilization scheme is a long-term solution using soil nail technologies and drainage to protect the C13 road from future landslides.
‘The work will require the closure of the Hollow between the junction of the C13 with the Boundary Road and the junction with the B3081 for a year.’
The proposed works will mean 12 months of roadworks on the C13 and a lengthy distraction for local people
The council said its £8m idea was ‘a vital safety project to protect everyone who uses C13’.
Jon Andrews, Dorset Council’s cabinet member for ground services, said: ‘This is a vital safety project to protect everyone using the C13 and ensure this route remains resilient into the future.
‘We know these works will impact travel, so we have reviewed all options and developed a comprehensive package of traffic management measures.
‘Protecting the unique wildlife and habitats at Dinah’s Hollow will also be our ongoing priority and an ecologist will be on site for the duration of the stabilization project to ensure everything is carried out responsibly.’
