Burford lorries in Charlbury

Mon 6 Jul 2020, 21:58 (last edited on Mon 6 Jul 2020, 22:00)

Charlbury centric?? Heaven forbid!  Philip, there's a clue in Richard's opening thread:  "The purpose of the website, including the forum, is to help Charlbury residents and to make Charlbury better".  Doesn't mean there isn't a world out there! Though I can't really see why anyone would want to divert several miles through Charlbury to get around the bridge at Burford - more likely through places like Swinbrook - really sensble... 

Mon 6 Jul 2020, 13:14

8 years ago the weight limit was imposed on the river bridge - for 8 years it is constantly ignored - as will any future changes both here and Burford- unless policed , a simple camera system and yet more signs would be deterrent  

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 22:48

Goods for local shops aren't impacted: weight limits have an "Except for access" exemption.

If the displaced Burford HGVs short-cut through Charlbury (from Witney or Enstone), to re-connect  with the A361, that's not a good outcome. Why can't they be made to stick to the A roads.

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 19:13

Excellent idea Hannen, however there are people that complain about the helicopters during the evenings of the week and the privacy lot will also have their say. 

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 18:00

But we must buy from local shops?

How about drones?

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 17:40 (last edited on Sun 5 Jul 2020, 17:48)

All this banning of HGV's is getting out of hand, how do expect goods to arrive at local shops - by pushbike?  Stop buying stuff and your questions are answered.  

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 17:37

I believe that the argument for stopping large lorries driving through Burford was that they were damaging the old buildings through the vibrations? I thought I read something about it in the Oxford mail.

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 10:07

Thanks Nikki.  I suspected it was something to do with Cornbury as I couldn't imagine how they would get up Park Street!

Full marks to OCC Highways for resurfacing and repairs around Fiveways, and also for putting up notices and even leafleting homes in the vicinity with full details of times/dates etc.

Sun 5 Jul 2020, 09:46

It amazes me how Charlbury-centric these posts are! The 7.5t limit on the Burford bridge will restrict traffic on the A424 linking through to/from Stow on the Wold and the A361 to/from Chipping Norton. Should make little or no difference to Charlbury as there is already a 7.5t limit on Charlbury's bridge over the Evenlode, (presumably because it was poorly repaired after the floods in 2007?)

Unless there has been significant degradation of the Burford bridge in recent years, why the limit? Tanks drove over that bridge in WW2, although one did't make it!

Of course it may be that these limits have nothing to do with structural engineering and are merely a convenient form of traffic management. Politics, cynical, me?

Sat 4 Jul 2020, 14:13 (last edited on Sat 4 Jul 2020, 14:15)

Lorry movements around the area will be monitored.  They have already been monitored prior to the lockdown so it will be possible to spot if there is an increase in lorry traffic resulting from the Burford ban.

Sat 4 Jul 2020, 12:55

Hannen, there is a major resurfacing of the drives around Cornbury House, and this week , endless huge lorries and diggers have been going up there. And some building work too.  It has stopped today, but I’ve had to go out to get away from the noise, almost as bad as Wilderness !  Aaah that blissful peace in April.....

Fri 3 Jul 2020, 21:25

The biggest issue is with the operator who allocates work to the drivers, a job is put onto them and it has to be delivered.  I happens to us regularly when we see a job that is out of the ordinary we point it out, their reply is usually "Just deliver it". I had it a few weeks ago when I was asked to deliver one car on 11 car transporter to a private house in the middle of the Sussex Downs, I refused to go there, so they phoned up the consignee who had no option but to meet me on the services near Brighton - I have been doing this for 15+ years now and know the score, but many of these operators use inexperienced and cheap labour normally from eastern Europe.

Fri 3 Jul 2020, 19:04

There is already an HGV ban in the center of Charlbury except for access - you can see the weight limit signs on Google Street view. There is one just before Wellington Cottages - through traffic of anything over 7.5t except buses is banned.  Lorries over 7.5t are only permitted for access purposes. 

I believe that the Burford weight limit is currently an 18month trial and as part of the permission, Burford is funding traffic monitoring on routes (including Witney to Charlbury).

Fri 3 Jul 2020, 18:47

I read that it took the good burghers of  Burford 20 years.  So we'd better get a move (sic) on.

With Chippy, and now Burford closed to HGVs I suppose we are the ones in line.

I sympathise Patricia.  I've noticed over the past few weeks a definite increase in HGVs along Wellington Cottages.  Some get "stuck" at the bend at the end, and that leads to others and cars reversing.  Saw a nimble cyclist jump off his bike a few days ago to avoid being squashed.

Does anyone know where they are going?  A lot of them have something "Forestry" on them.

It'll be fun and games when the roadworks at Fiveways start.

Fri 3 Jul 2020, 09:34

That would be welcomed.  I invite anyone to come to Market Street and witness the HGVs trundling daily down here. In addition to the required service vehicles which we need, we see lorries carrying heavy machinery, Co-op lorries (yes really) furniture removal vehicles and many more types.  They often have to mount the pavement to pass parked cars.  We then have the exhaust fumes from delivery vans whose drivers leave the engines running whilst making deliveries and the 20 mph limit is having little effect: Market Street Racing has become a sport.   Not environmentally good I'm afraid or safe for pedestrians in this charming but narrow street.

Fri 3 Jul 2020, 07:59

Sam, if that is correct, maybe some kind of monitoring of the weight-restricted bridge is needed, because a HGV ban would not happen overnight.

Thu 2 Jul 2020, 23:28

According to the Oxford Times next month a HGV ban starts in Burford. Will this cause more lorries to come through Charlbury, if it does can the town council get a HGV ban here as well.