A RESTRICTION on lorries trundling through Covingham should be extended to include Wanborough, says the chairman of the parish council there.

After campaigning for more than a decade to introduce a weight restriction along Merlin Way, to prevent heavy goods vehicles using the route as a short cut to the M4, residents celebrated when a temporary order was imposed on the road in July 2013.

Earlier this year, the 7.5-tonne restriction was extended for another six months and there are now hopes that it will be extended to include Kingfisher Drive.

Meanwhile Gary Sumner, chairman of Wanborough Parish Council, hopes the order will also include the remainder of the village.

He said: “At the moment we have a lot of lorries coming through Wanborough because of the weight restriction, which the village just can’t cope with.

“We have some very narrow roads and it’s just not safe.

“Dale Heenan was talking about extending it to include Kingfisher Drive, and if that happens we’d like to see it include Wanborough as well.

“There have been concerns raised from farmers and how it will affect farm traffic but if it is extended to Wanborough they will already be inside the zone.”

The order was brought in after a traffic survey led by residents found that on average, 12 HGVs weighing 7.5 tonnes or more were using the road every hour.

But the restriction has reduced the quantity of traffic and the disruption caused by the shaking of houses.

Councillor Dale Heenan, cabinet member for highways (Con, Covingham and Dorcan), said: “The 7.5 ton weight restriction on Merlin Way has reduced the number of vehicles by 30 per cent coming through Covingham and Dorcan.

“It has been in place for 12 months and I have received feedback from local residents and Wanborough Parish Council over whether it should be made permanent.

“I would like to see it extended to include Kingfisher Drive and I know that Wanborough parish would like to see it include the Wanborough village as well. The decision as to whether it will be made permanent will be taken at the beginning of June.”

Any lorry weighing more than 7.5 tonnes travelling along Merlin Way is now committing a moving traffic offence which the police can enforce.