I WISH to raise my objection to the weight restrictions being reintroduced in Merlin Way and extended to Kingfisher Drive in Covingham.

I am a resident in Oxford Road which is already one of the busiest roads into Swindon. Houses in Oxford Road face directly onto the road and suffer from vibration from lorries and fumes from the diesel engines, noise night and day from police cars with sirens and flashing lights. Houses in Covingham are mainly not facing directly onto the main roads but leading off from them. The number of houses facing or in close proximity to the affected road must be much smaller in Covingham than they are in Oxford Road and Dorcan Way.

One of the reasons given for these restrictions was difficulty in accessing their properties in Covingham. They want to try living here and getting back into their houses. Oxford Road traffic also affects Slade Drive, Sandgate, Nythe Road, Whilestone Way, Evergreens Close, Burden Close and the Coleview estate. Why do HGVs find it necessary to use Covingham? It doesn’t take much imagination to realise it’s because of the congestion on other routes.

I also understand that councillors are meeting with the police to work out how they intend to police these restrictions. Does this mean that our limited resources in Swindon will now spend their time sitting in Merlin Way to stop HGVs and redirecting them to us?

I strongly object and urge my neighbours to do the same.

SHEILA BAXTER Oxford Road Swindon