Ban on HGVs through town to be reviewed

This is not the first time such a move has been considered. In 2008, similar proposals were put forward when council research revealed that levels of nitrogen dioxide on the A339, at the junction with the A343 and Greenham Road, were 30 per cent higher than maximum government recommendations.
One potential route was to divert northbound HGV traffic from the A339 on to the A34 via the Newtown Straight, the B4640. However, the plan to ban certain types of vehicles were never enforced since an agreement could not be reached between West Berkshire Council and Hampshire County Council, the authority whose roads would have to bear the brunt of diverted traffic.
However, at a meeting of West Berkshire Council’s executive committee last Thursday, the executive portfolio holder for transport and highways, Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne) said that the ideas were being revisited in a bid to reduce traffic levels in the town.
A meeting to discuss the issue with Hampshire County Council has been scheduled for January. This will be followed by a meeting of the transport policy task group. Further details of the discussions are expected to be available in February.
Mrs Bale said: “The issue of redirecting HGV traffic on the A339 was discussed at the last transport policy task group meeting, when it was resolved that paperwork would be brought to the task group in the new year.
“Some while ago, a proposal was put to Hampshire County Council to send HGV traffic to the A34. At the time, Hampshire County Council opposed to this proposal.
“We have arranged a meeting with Hampshire County Council in January to see if we can find a solution.”
The chairman of Greenham Parish Council, Tony Forward, who was involved in establishing an action group for parish councils sited on the A339 corridor when plans for Greenham Business Park were being considered, said that a ban through Newbury would only fix part of the problem.
“If we have created a problem in the town, why should it be Hampshire’s problem to fix?” he said. “It seems to me that we are proposing a fix only for one part of the A339.”
“The only real solution is to implement a complete ban on the A339 right the way through (from Basingstoke).”
It has not yet been confirmed how the proposed weight limit on the A339 would affect lorries making deliveries to town centre businesses.
n What are your views on the potential ban? Let reporter Ellis Barker know by emailing ellis.barker@newburynews.co.uk or tweeting ellisb_nwn