Sat Nav blamed for another Guildhall smash (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Sat Nav blamed for another Guildhall smash

12:35pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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SAT NAVS have been blamed for the latest lorry smash at Lyme’s Guildhall – just months after the building was repaired.

A large articulated lorry slammed into the Grade-II Listed building while on route to a delivery on the other side of town.

There are now fresh calls to deter HGVs from passing needlessly through Lyme Regis and causing thousands of pounds of damage in the process.

Town clerk Mike Lewis said the lorry was delivering to Travis Perkins on the Uplyme Road Business Park.

Mr Lewis said: “We have had assurances from the manager of Travis Perkins they always advise their lorries not to use Church Street and Bridge Street.

“So it might be the case that either the haulage companies are ignoring those delivery instructions or using sat nav to get a shorter route to save diesel and drivers’ time.

“It has cost various haulage companies thousands of pounds over the years. But they should follow the delivery instructions they have been given so that is their loss really if it affects their insurance premiums.”

The smash comes just three months after the building was patched up following similar incidents and Mr Lewis said they are forced to make repairs at least once a year, closing the road in the process.

“There is damage in between times but the county (council) is very loathe to close the road so we don’t repair the Guildhall as many times as we could,” said Mr Lewis.

And he said they have no way of knowing the long-term damage it could be causing to the building, parts of which date back to Tudor times.

Mr Lewis said: “The easiest solution would be to put the window flush with the building but that is not going to get permission from English Heritage or the planning authority, so we have to consider other practical measures.”

The town clerk will be discussing such measures with the highways chief at a meeting next week.

Mr Lewis will be pressing for new bollards on the corner to protect the overhanging window. “We don’t want to ban HGVs because they have to deliver to premises in the town, we just need a way of coping with the bigger vehicles,” he said.

Mr Lewis said the move would also improve pedestrian safety as a restricted pavement would encourage people to use the footpath behind the Guildhall.

While these measures would provide an interim solution, Mr Lewis said a long-term measure must be found.

Lyme’s county councillor Col Geoffrey Brierley, also the cabinet member for transport, has been discussing with Devon County Council the option of operating a one-way system through Lyme for HGVs.

Lorries would approach from the west and exit at the Dorset end, avoiding travelling down Charmouth Road.

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