Angmering human roadblock forces lorries u-turn

A dozen people formed a human roadblock in Bramley Way on the Bramley Green estate after hearing that five cement mixers were on their way to make deliveries to a building site at The Angmering School.

Police were called as the first mixer arrived and the residents, some sitting in garden chairs, barred the way. There was a tense stand-off as police tried to break the deadlock between the building contractors and the protesters, who were told that the concrete in the mixers would be ruined if the delivery was not made soon.

At one point Bramley Green resident Phil Leverick, one of the leaders of the protesters, was asked to put a compromise solution to his fellow protesters, but they refused to move.

U-turn

It was only when, after a lengthy phone conversation, a county council official agreed to meet residents this morning (Thursday) to listen to their concerns, that the blockade was lifted.

Residents of the estate have been sitting by the roadside for several days in case any lorries attempted to drive through to the school site, but on Friday and Monday the trucks stayed away.

Tuesday was the first time that any lorries had been blocked. As well as the first mixer on the scene, which eventually made a u-turn and drove off, a second was waiting round the corner in Roundstone Lane.

Two weeks ago, the protesters held their first roadblock, in nearby Rowan Way, amid growing anger that up to six 35-ton vehicles a day were rumbling through the estate on their way to the school.

Bramley Green's roads have still not been adopted by the county council, and so are still in private ownership, and residents are concerned that they could end up picking up expensive repair bills for damage caused by the lorries.

Families have also voiced fears about the dangers to children living on the estate from the trucks using the narrow roads.

Issues ignored

Earlier this month a county council spokesman said developers of Bramley Green had given the council permission to use estate roads to gain access to the building site, but would ensure that lorry speeds remained low.

Mr Leverick said on Tuesday: "None of the residents wants to interrupt the building work. the only reason we are doing this is because West Sussex County Council has ignored all the issues we have raised with them.

"It's a partial victory today that we have persuaded them to come down here and finally listen to us. If they fail to satisfy us with their answers, the protests will start again.

"If I was a betting man, I would say there is a very low chance of resolving this."

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