RESIDENTS are concerned that heavy lorries ignoring weight restrictions on the Bradford on Avon town bridge will harm its heritage.

Local community lorry watchers have said that on average 15 HGVs over 18-tonnes cross Town Bridge every week on average.

David Gilbert (pictured) is one of a handful of volunteer lorry watchers monitoring HGVs coming over the town bridge in Bradford. He makes note of all the lorries over 18-tonnes – normally three axle artic lorries – and reports the traffic to the police.

He told the LDRS that there has been a rise in the number of HGVs going over the town bridge.

“Yesterday (December 21) for instance, I caught two,” he said.

“On the Friday before I caught one. You might go there two or three times a week; not see one then you can see quite a few.”

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Coordinator, Mike Roberts says he gets constant emails from locals about the heavy vehicles crossing the bridge when a volunteer is not on duty.

“It is a problem,” he said. “Most of the population of Bradford are interested in the heritage of the bridge and trying to maintain it.”

In April, safety barriers were installed on Town Bridge after a crash partially damaged the stone wall. The last time the bridge was altered was when it was widened under the rule of King Henry VIII.

While there is also concern that more HGV traffic would be directed toward the town because of the restrictions on Cleveland – Mr Roberts said that, looking at the data, there has been little impact on Bradford.

“There is a slight increase, but it is only a slight increase,” he added.

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“It’s just the massive vehicles we have a problem with because our streets can’t cope.

“When they come across the weight restriction on the bridge – because they’ve not read the signage – they get stuck.

“Our guys have, on occasion, advised them to turn round, and when they do it is absolutely chaos.”

Mr Roberts hopes to get CCTV installed at the bridge to catch out the heavy lorries flouting the weight restrictions.

Bradford on Avon Town Council is currently running a consultation on the future of transport in the town which will run until Sunday, January 9, 2022. The survey can be accessed by clicking here

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Mr Roberts says he is also looking for more volunteers to help him. If you would be interested in joining the volunteers, please email mroberts88@sky.com or call 07824534162.