A WINCHCOMBE resident and town councillor is issuing a call to arms to try and ban heavy goods vehicles from passing through the town.

Judith Petchley is asking residents and retailers to gather accurate data and photographs of the large vehicles as they struggle to squeeze through the narrow streets so it can be put before Gloucestershire County Council's transport bosses.

Councillor Petchey said: “We need to give the council statistical and photographic evidence of the number and size of lorries coming through Winchcombe. It seems that many overseas lorries are coming here not to deliver, but just by following their sat navs.

“If a weight restriction is put on the B4236 and the B4078, it would flag up these routes as being inaccessible and help deter drivers and operators of commercial vehicles as using Winchcombe as a short cut.”

This autumn the council is holding a further consultation period for its Local Transport Strategy after which county lorry routes are designated. It’s hoped that with enough evidence from townspeople, the council will agree to a weight limit restriction. This would allow only lorries making deliveries to local retailers, manufacturers and Postlip Mill would be allowed if no alternative route was available.

“Many of these heavy goods vehicles are so large they get stuck trying to turn out of, or into the High Street, North Street and Gloucester Street and only recently there have been incidents of damage to cars and buildings as a result. Our Cotswold towns simply were not built to take vehicles of this size and weight,” she added.

A commercial vehicle count is being planned from 7am to7 pm on a date to be arranged once enough volunteers have come forward to help out. Volunteers would do two-hour shifts on several routes around the town to provide an accurate map of vehicle movements and times.

Cllr Petchey is also urging residents and retailers to take photographs on their phones or cameras of any HGVs they see coming through the town, as these will be included in the file of evidence.

Photos should be emailed to Judith.vineyard@btinternet.com Anyone willing to help in the lorry count should contact Judith by email or call her on 01242 609305.