A NEW suggestion to tackle traffic chaos in Church Street has been backed by local police.

Calls for road safety measures in the narrow street have been stepped up in recent months following several traffic incidents.

Buses are often jammed in Church Street, large vehicles frequently strike buildings, and scaffolding on buildings is causing more hold-ups.

Antonio Gravili, owner of Antonio Trattoria Italian restaurant, has proposed a new solution.

He said: “I have been here 19 years, I have been looking, thinking, studying and I think my idea will help. It wouldn't be expensive either.

“Move the pavement on the opposite side of the road just outside my restaurant, just before the traffic lights, to make it a sort of lay-by so the buses can move themselves into it.

“They would need to move the traffic lights a little bit further back to allow that.

“The pavement is just a fraction wider there. You wouldn't need to take the whole pavement because you need to leave enough to let people go by.”

PC Richard Winward has met with Mr Gravili to discuss solutions.

PC Winward said: “I wanted to know if he had any thoughts on how things could be improved as he is the man on the spot, and sees all the problems first hand.

“He suggested about that bit of wide pavement being used to make the road a little wider just there.

“I thought that it was something worth considering.

“It would give large vehicles coming the other way, from town, a bit more space to straighten up ready to thread past the cars waiting at the lights.

“It seemed to me to be a positive suggestion, and one worth talking about.”

PC Winward has criticised town councillors who earlier this month accused Dorset County Council of not caring about the town's road chaos.

“I think that those of us who work or live in the town should be coming up with suggestions to put to Dorset County Council,” said PC Winward.

“It might be headline grabbing for certain councillors to criticise DCC, but let's have a sit down and discuss ideas.

“After all, if we can't think of anything, and we have a vested interest, then why on earth do we think DCC will have some magic answers?”

PC Winward previously mooted the idea of a warning sign on the Charmouth roundabout to warn drivers of a severe restriction in Church Street.

“Also, when I first came to work at Lyme, nearly 20 years ago, all large vehicles entering Lyme from the Charmouth direction had to stop in the layby that was next to the Davey Fort football pitch and call someone for permission to proceed.”

Lyme's county councillor Daryl Turner said he has raised the issue of Church Street, specifically buses, with the council's head of highways Andrew Martin.

Coun Turner said: “I have also contacted Martyn Underhill, the police and crime commissioner, about trying to reduce the through traffic of HGVs through Lyme.”