A petition backed by 450 people in Surrey is calling for tougher rules on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), including automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and stricter enforcement of existing restrictions.
Community Group Demands Action
The Federation of Oxshott Residents and Associations (Fedora) has submitted the petition to Surrey County Council, highlighting the dangers posed by HGVs on the A244 road through Oxshott. The group says night-time HGV restrictions and a 20mph speed limit in the village centre are not being enforced effectively.
Councillor Andy Burton, supporting the petition, stated: "The A244 was once a B road but over many years with no physical improvements it has become a major A road carrying 17,000-20,000 vehicles per day of which over 500 are HGVs. This is partly a result of increased local housing density, but more particularly Oxshott has become a regular traffic route between the A3 and the A243/M25 to the serious detriment of the safety, health and well-being of Oxshott residents."
Safety Concerns for Schoolchildren
Burton emphasised the risk to children: "Oxshott has a school population across 3 schools of over 1000 children. There is no continuous pavement through the village on either side of the road so children walking to school must cross a road carrying more than 18,000 vehicles per day, often travelling in excess of speed limits, up to 30 times per week. There are currently no controlled crossings, and the island refuges are unsafe for many users and frequently damaged by traffic."
Petition Details and Council Response
The petition, which runs until 2 September on the council's website, calls for installation of ANPR cameras to enforce HGV restrictions. A county council spokesperson said: "Once the petition is submitted, it will be considered carefully and a formal response will be provided. We will be able to update further in due course."
The petition adds: "Improvements were made three years ago to introduce a night time HGV restriction and a 20mph speed limit in the centre of the village, but the efficacy has been severely constrained by a lack of enforcement."
