A TRIAL gets underway next week to reduce the impact of lorries on roads around London Colney. From Monday (1) a new experimental traffic order will introduce short sections of weight limits on roads that are not suitable for heavy goods vehicles. At the

A TRIAL gets underway next week to reduce the impact of lorries on roads around London Colney.

From Monday (1) a new experimental traffic order will introduce short sections of weight limits on roads that are not suitable for heavy goods vehicles. At the moment weight limits are difficult to enforce as they tend to be used over a large area and on long stretches of roads.

Pc Jack Carson of Herts Police traffic management unit said: "The existing 7.5 tonnes St Albans area lorry ban is complex and has proved to be extremely difficult to enforce.

"This new experimental order being trialled in London Colney sets out clearly defined routes for HGVs to access their delivery points and will restrict unnecessary and unwelcome rat-running through other areas of the village. Throughout the county, many residents feel blighted by the inappropriate presence of large goods vehicles and this new legislation should hopefully be fit for purpose."

Cllr Stuart Pile, the county council's executive member for highways and transport, said that it was important to manage the routes taken by HGVs because of the damage they caused to minor roads and the inconvenience for local road users and residents.

The trial runs for 18 months and should the new weight limits prove successful, the county council will look into implementing them on a permanent basis and trialling them elsewhere in the county.