Residents in Goudhurst, Kent, say their listed homes and cars are constantly damaged by lorries diverted onto the tight A road running through their village
Residents of one of Kent’s most picturesque villages, Goudhurst, have voiced their frustrations over the constant disruption caused by heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). They claim that these large lorries have been a nuisance for decades, causing damage to their listed homes and cars as they navigate the narrow A road that runs through the village which is 55 minutes south of Bromley.
Images and videos shared by the residents illustrate the “chaos” created by tractors, lorries and other large vehicles trying to negotiate the sharp bend next to St Mary’s church. The problem is so severe that emergency services often find themselves stuck in the village, which The Sunday Times has named one of the prettiest in Kent.
Parents walking their children to school are also put at risk due to the traffic issues. The villagers believe that lorry drivers are being directed to their village by sat nav apps when other routes become congested. Residents from nearby Cranbrook, Sissinghurst and Biddenden have joined forces with those from Goudhurst to form the A262 Traffic Action Group.
This group is committed to working with Kent County Council (KCC) to find a solution to the problem. Sarah Power, who has resided in the medieval village for approximately four-and-a-half years, says that traffic outside her Grade-II listed home often grinds to a halt as lorries attempt to pass each other. The mother of two, in her 40s, claims that HGVs navigating the sharp S-bend in front of her house not only cause continuous damage to her property but also disrupt her sleep.
Mrs Power commented: “It’s an accident waiting to happen. It’s been going on for decades. We’ve teamed up with other villages, but Goudhurst is really where all of the monumental delays happen.
“We’ve had tyres blow out and take a piece out of our cars from the pressure. These accidents have the potential to kill a pedestrian. Whenever a lorry gets stuck, it closes the thoroughfare for hours.
“Local buses, highway maintenance and ambulances can’t get through. Someone will die on that corner at some point. It’s absolute carnage.”
Footage captured by Mrs Power shows tractors attempting to squeeze past lorries, with some confrontations between drivers nearly escalating to physical altercations. “I live in the house on the sharp corner,” she said. “It’s Grade-II listed and we are meant to spend a fortune maintaining it – but most people just hit it and drive off.
“KCC allows these vehicles of a massive magnitude to come in and shake the foundations of our house on a daily basis. Our house is constantly hit. They come crashing down, 38-tonne lorries, over the pavement every day.
“They break off bits of tile, ruin the brickwork; it has shattered our chimney stack just from the vibrations, side windows of vehicles smashed in, HGV bumpers left on our doorstep. We have our property damaged at least every three or four weeks, and the vibrations cause damage all day, every day.”
Mrs Power and her family relocated to their home during lockdown, when traffic wasn’t as heavy as it typically is. She revealed that neighbours have informed her that the village has been plagued by HGV issues for as long as 35 years.
“I didn’t think any council would be that insane to let such vehicles down such a narrow, blind corner in a high-heritage little village,” Mrs Powers expressed. “It’s astounding. They rattle through at night as well, beeping their horns in the middle of the night so they don’t have to slow down.
“Sometimes HGVs come from both directions and when they meet head-to-head, they can block the village for hours. Emergency services get held up all of the time. It’s horrendous. On the odd occasion, you get a lull in the traffic and think, ‘It could be so nice here’.”
Helen Sampson, another local resident and a member of the A262 Traffic Action Group, said the now infamous traffic through Goudhurst has resulted in “rat runs” through other small villages, putting schoolchildren at risk. Mrs Sampson, who has resided in Goudhurst for eight years, stated: “It has got worse [in recent years], because the traffic has got heavier and people have got more impatient.
“We have been thwarted on every solution that we think possible. The Parish Council are really pushing for a solution, because it blights the village. Not only do we have lorries, but we have speeding cars. Biddenden also has a big S bend. People get frustrated and speed out of the villages.
“We have primary schools on the busy road as well. It’s 30mph, but most people are going significantly faster than that. It’s not just the HGVs – although they are getting much bigger. Parking up the high street blocks pedestrian access. People are taking their children to school and risking life and limb.
“At least 400 cars go in one direction in one hour. Other roads become like a rat run and it’s really dangerous. We need to go back to pony and carts – that’s what the road was built for.”
Campaigners argue that KCC possesses the authority to limit which vehicles can use the route, but cannot redirect traffic to roads controlled by other bodies, including Highways England. Ms Sampson explained that whilst there is signage warning HGV drivers that the route is “unsuitable” for lengthy vehicles, she believes it’s “so wordy” that drivers simply ignore it.
Nevertheless, requests for clearer signage featuring a crossed-out lorry symbol – which could assist non-native English speakers – have been rejected by KCC as unfeasible. “It’s just ludicrous,” Ms Sampson fumed.
“We are trying every which way to make it safer for all three villages. People have come from KCC and were shocked and horrified, but they don’t live here – they go back to their desks and carry on.”
A KCC spokesperson confirmed they were continuing to collaborate with Goudhurst Parish Council to find a resolution to the persistent HGV issues affecting the village. “We are aware of concerns regarding HGV traffic on the A262 through villages such as Goudhurst,” they said. “Our teams have been investigating potential solutions for some time.
“Legally, all classes of vehicle can use the public highway unless a Traffic Regulation Order is in place to restrict certain movements, such as a weight limit. These restrictions will be subject to a detailed review of both the road in question, and the surrounding network which may be impacted by such changes.
“For example, restricting traffic on the A262 could result in lorries using far less suitable routes, including roads across the Kent border and narrower corridors such as Park Lane near Bedgebury Park. Officers continue to explore other options and are in active discussions with the parish council to find a solution.”
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