Rhayader residents call for action after a lorry crashed into their vehicles and properties
Residents of a Rhayader street where a lorry recently collided with vehicles and buildings have contacted the town council asking for action.
A lorry driver caused lots of damage while travelling from South Street, turning into Caeherbert Lane and onto East Street, recently.
Roof sheeting was pulled from the rafters, walls were levelled, wooden strips were torn off external windowsills and wooden panelling was stripped of a wall.
One woman said her mother owns a property there and problems have been on-going for years and walls have had to be re-built on three times.
She said her mother can no longer claim on her insurance, the traffic has increased and the vehicles have increased in size and the lane is no longer fit for purpose.
The woman said she would like to see the lane by-passed as it is being used as a quick route through town and the only traffic using it should be people going to the doctor’s surgery and those going to local houses.
She called for more road signage, a one way system and residents only usage and she said she hopes changes can be made to keep pedestrians and residents’ vehicles safe.
Councillor Angela Davies said she had contacted the highways department and the signage they are allowed to erect is already in place and heavy goods vehicle drivers should know what the signs mean.
She said she asked about closing the lane off apart from for residents and patients but the council said they can’t do that because a certain amount of space is needed for turning and its not an option.
Rhayader Mayor Councillor Clare Evans said the no HGV sign is only one way and she asked if they could put up another one at the other end.
Councillor James Stuart said it is astonishing that there are drivers that think they can get down the lane. He said perhaps they could put something along the lane that warns people for one last time that it is narrow such as metal bollards to restrict the width and it would come up on sat navs.
Councillor Christian Walton said he thought something actually on the road would be good such as No HGV’s because the signs get a bit lost.
The town council agreed to contact Powys County Council about their ideas such as a further no HGV sign, a possible narrowing of the lane adding a maximum width lane sign and to ask that it appears on sat navs.
