Woodcote Valley Road in Purley faces horror of 200 HGVs a day
HUGE lorries full of earth and rubble are causing a truckload of nuisance in Purley.
Every day up to 200 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) thunder up and down Woodcote Valley Road on their way to a construction site in Brighton.
-
NUISANCE: As many as 200 heavy goods vehicles rumble up and down Woodcote Valley Road, Purley, each day
The vehicles have been using the road as a route from Foxley Lane to Smitham Bottom Lane on their way to the M23.
The constant roar of engines, which begins as early as 6.30am, is driving residents to distraction.
Such is their concern that Coulsdon West councillor David Osland is to present a petition to Croydon Council calling for HGVs to be banned from the road.
Pauline Hardy, who lives in Woodcote Valley Road, is fed up at the constant din of lorries rumbling past her house.
Mrs Hardy, 58, a market research consultant, said: "The trucks hurtle up and own the road like nobody's business – it's horrific."
She estimates that one huge lorry drives past her home every three to four minutes.
"There are something in the region of 200 lorries using Woodcote Valley Road as a rat run every day," she added. "It's quite a horrific problem and very frightening for people walking up and down the road."
Elaine Applebee, who lives in nearby Box Ridge Avenue, says walking her two-year-old grandson, Charlie, home from Woodcote Nursery in Woodcote Valley Road is a terrifying experience.
She explained: "The lorries are horrendous. There are so many of them and they go so fast, I'm petrified something will happen to Charlie.
"When I walk him home I clutch his hand so hard because I'm so scared that even the wind as the lorries pass will blow him into their path.
"There are just so many. In five minutes, at least nine or ten thunder by.
"Not only should the lorries slow down, they should be using a main road."
An exact date for when her torment will end is unknown, with construction work understood to continue for at least the next few months.
The issue was raised at last week's meeting of the Purley and Woodcote Residents' Association.
Chairman Tarsem Flora said: "David (Osland) said it would be a temporary problem but I'm not sure how true that is.
"Hopefully it will finish in the next three, four or five months.
"If you ask a resident in Woodcote Valley Road about this they are really up in arms.
"It's a very serious concern for the people who live there.
"I'm not sure if it's possible, but I urge the council to look at stopping heavy vehicles from using the road."
A spokesman for Croydon Council said the petition would be given "considered attention".
He added: "While the council is always keen to support residents, we will need to verify the circumstances and endeavour to understand why Woodcote Valley Road is allegedly being used in such an intensive manner when what many would consider to be more appropriate routes for HGVs are close by."
8 Comments
by Nick, Coulsdon
Saturday, June 26 2010, 10:29AM
“The article is overblown though its not as silly as the lazy maggot-in-a-pot-noodle stories. Its a pity that a once great paper now reads little better than a sixth-form media studies project.
As for the traffic, a start could be made by reprioritising the junction by Coulsdon post office in favour of pedestrians. A built in delay soon sends the rat runners somewhere else, as was the case when they were rebuilding the railway bridge recently.”
by Arfur Towcrate, Staffycher
Thursday, June 17 2010, 8:52PM
“Woodcote Valley Road is a residential street, for local access only - it is not an A or a B road.
These trucks therefore have no business there - so the Council should put in place and enforce a ban on vehicles above a certain weight, e.g 7.5 tonnes.
Regarding criticism of the article, if you don't like it, don't read it.
@ Anon - your "shut the F*** up" comment is abusive and I have asked the moderator to remove it.”
by Paul Meoff, Purley
Thursday, June 17 2010, 6:05PM
“RPB you make some excellent points. And I do concur with you about the quality of the article. Quality is something sadly lacking on this site and in the papers”
by RPB, Coulsdon
Thursday, June 17 2010, 5:21PM
“Tony, I'm afraid I disagree.
The article is not about the people of Croydon, it's about a few residents in one road. It's been purely contrived by those residents who want to further their own agenda and think that by putting this in the paper, it'll help them do so.
In terms of the quality of the article - look at the headline: "Woodcote Valley Road faces horror"
Horror? Has someone been murdered there? Have they discovered foxes invading their homes, snatching their children? No. Some lorries are driving along the road (I might add, temporarily).
In fact, varients of the word "horror" are used three times in the article. It's such sloppy, tabloid journalism.
As for what I'd like to read about - any new businesses that are starting up in local areas? Any good fundraising work? Any young people doing exceptional things? Any update on the Red Lion site in Coulsdon? Any businesses, restaurants or pubs doing anything exciting to tie in with the World Cup?
I could go on.”
by Rob, away
Thursday, June 17 2010, 4:51PM
“"She estimates that one huge lorry drives past her home every three to four minutes."
"There are just so many. In five minutes, at least nine or ten thunder by"
not really news and who do we believe, at least 2 per minute or 1 every 3 or 4 minutes, slightly different.”
by Arfur Towcrate, Staffycher
Thursday, June 17 2010, 2:44PM
“This is down to the Coulsdon by-pass. It's made Woodcote Valley Road a more attractive route to the M23 and M25.
If you make roads wider and build by-passes, more drivers use them and the adjoining roads. Drivers aren't daft - unfortunately transport planners and politicians are.
If Croydon Council and Transport for London ever get their hands and our money on "improving" Purley Cross and Fiveways, we can expect similar effects all the way from Coulsdon to Norbury.
Congestion charge, anyone?”
by tony, london
Thursday, June 17 2010, 1:52PM
“Theres nothing wrong with the quality of this article. Its about the people of croydon! What kind of stories do you expect?”
by RPB, Coulsdon
Thursday, June 17 2010, 1:06PM
“What a pointless and melodramatic article.
"constant roar of engines" - it is a busy public road - vehicles drive on it. Try living on the Brighton Road.
"it's horrific" - No Mrs Hardy, it isn't. War is horrific, murder is horrific. The quality of this article is horrific.
"Not only should the lorries slow down, they should be using a main road." Why? I appreciate that the houses on Woodcote Valley Road are reasonably large and expensive, but that doesn't mean it is a private road. It has always been a busy road.
"When I walk him home I clutch his hand so hard because I'm so scared that even the wind as the lorries pass will blow him into their path." I can give you good news - it won't.
Come on - serious articles please.”