There's already plenty of photo and video evidence to show why the B3180 is not suitable for Aggregate Industries’ HGVs. AI's planning application to quarry Straitgate Farm relies on using this road to haul as-dug sand and gravel, through the village of West Hill, to its isolated processing plant at Blackhill, on Woodbury Common in the East Devon AONB.
If any more evidence were needed, here’s a report of an incident involving one of AI's HGVs on the B3180 from this week's Exmouth Journal: Police called as lorry ends up in a ditch on Common road. Fortunately, no one was injured, but it could have been far worse - if, for example, it had involved a pedestrian or a cyclist. Read the article, and then read AI’s claims afresh, because the company thinks it’s fine to put up to 200 of these 44-tonne HGVs on this road each day. AI says:
the proposed B3180 is considered to be suitable as the recommended route for the transport of material from Straitgate Farm to Blackhill Quarry 4.2.1 the increased flows along [the B3180] are insignificant to cause a noticeable impact to road users 4.3 Based on the findings of this assessment it can be concluded that the proposed development will have no material adverse impact on the operation or safety of the local road network. 8.0
As with other parts of AI's planning applications, these claims are just utter nonsense.
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| Picture: Simon Horn |
#Devon On Woodbury Common the B3180 is NOW CLEAR - the broken down lorry has been recovered [PL]
— BBC Travel SouthWest (@BBCTravelSW) January 7, 2016
