News

The tranquillity of a Staffordshire village is being ruined by foreign trucks ignoring a 7.5-tonne weight restriction, say local councillors.

Rolleston-on-Dove appears to be the latest victim of satellite navigation systems failing to identify roads that are unsuitable for 44-tonne artics. John Morris, East Staffordshire Borough Council's ward councillor for Rolleston, says the villagers do not blame the truck drivers, but the village's picturesque Spread Eagle bridge is being destroyed.

He comments: "I feel a bit sorry for the truck drivers, but they are literally knocking chunks out of the bridge and it isn't ideal to have heavy trucks pounding through the village."

Morris adds that enforcing the weight limit is not a simple matter because police argue that putting an officer on the bridge to enforce the regulation is not a good use of police time.

Villagers have now approached trading standards officers at the county council to see if they can help to police the restrictions.

They have also written to haulier Willi Betz because its trucks have been seen driving through the village; it is hoped that a representative from the company will meet parish councillors to listen to their concerns.