Residents from Hellingly have been campaigning to stop HGVs from construction sites using local roads as ‘rat runs’.

A protest took place on Friday, March 25, in a bid to stop lorries using Station Road and Church Road following fears the route could cause a major accident or death.

A spokesperson from the group said residents have had their lives ‘devastated’ because of the vehicles cutting through the village to various building sites.

Hellingly resident Gill Riches said, “Station Road and Church Road residents have experienced a huge increase in volume and speed of traffic with much of the road and verges destroyed as convoys of lorries plough through the village leaving devastation in their wake.”

A group spokesperson said, “Traffic calming measures are in place including single-track passing points and a 20mph speed limit, but it is not policed.

“There is no weight restriction for the area, resulting in a daily torrent of HGVs using Station Road and Church Road as a rat run.”

Resident Nicola Phillips added, “Villagers are literally taking their lives into their hands every day when they walk their children to the village school, go for a run or take their dog for a walk in fear of being mown down or sworn at.”

Mother-of-two Jessica Daley said the situation is ‘an absolute nightmare’.

She said, “I can’t bear to think what would happen if they hit a child.

“Taking my children to school is quite literally taking our lives into our hands.

“Sometimes I get home and just cry, it’s terrifying”

Michael Nix, chair of governors at Hellingly Primary School, said, “We understand and share the local community’s fears about traffic, especially heavy lorries, using Station Road.

“We have made contact with local councils, including the county council, our MP and others regarding our concerns about the increased traffic, HGVs and the risk to our pupils and families.

“Station Road is not designed for heavy lorries and we have argued further [that] effective improvements are needed to keep our pupils and families safe”

Delia Cottingham, who has lived in the area for 40 years, said she is ‘absolutely sick’ of the situation.

She said, “It’s unbearable and it’s affecting my mental health, I just want the traffic to end.”

The group said residents are also worried the Victorian-built bridge could be ‘destroyed’ by the weight and level of traffic passing through Station Road and Church Road.

David Stuart said, “Despite months and months of writing to the parish council, the police and our local MP, nothing is being done.

“We feel we have no choice but to take direct action for the sake of the children, someone needs to stop this before something terrible happens.”

Reverend Jeremy Skyes, vicar of Hellingly and Upper Dicker, added, “Since arriving in the parish nearly two years ago I have witnessed a significant increase in traffic through the village.

“I mostly cycle and it isn’t much fun having a large truck thunder past me in the middle of the village.

“There is an obvious alternative route, and we need action now before something really serious happens.”

Some residents said they will continue with their protests until the lorries stop.

Church Road resident Serna Schellenberg said, “We want our children to get to school safely, we want the destruction of our road to end, and we want our lives back.”

Following the protest on Friday, companies Jenners and Gallaghers have agreed to redirect their lorries via Horsebridge, according to the group.

The group said there are other developments in the area and it is reaching out to them to voice their concerns.

Parish council chairman, Councillor David White, said he was ‘delighted’ with the action taken by residents.

The councillor said the parish council had been talking to planners about the situation for ‘some months’.

Councillor White added, “One of the parish councillors has recently provided photographic evidence of offending HGVs that we have forwarded to Wealden.

“With the added action being taken by the residents, perhaps enforcement action will now be taken.”

A Wealden District Council spokesperson said, “If there is a breach of condition at a development site and we can evidence that breach, then we will take it up with the developer.

“If the parish council has supplied evidence, we will also follow that up.”

Wealden MP Nusrat Ghani said she appreciates the concerns from residents regarding the traffic.

She said, “I visited Hellingly Primary School last year to discuss the matter and I have made repeated representations to the director of East Sussex County Council Highways department to support them in getting the situation improved.”

Lance Taylor, CEO of construction group Gallagher, apologised for any inconvenience caused.

He said, “We were emailed by our client’s buyer earlier today (Friday, March 25) asking us to update our aggregate delivery order/tickets, instructing drivers on the below, which we have done.

“‘Please can you notify all drivers that when delivering to the above site, that they MUST TURN RIGHT on exiting site.

“‘They CANNOT travel down Church Road or Station Road.’

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

A spokesperson from construction group Jenner added, “Jenner are incredibly disheartened by the distress and heartache caused to local residents by the impact of construction traffic, and have taken immediate action to ensure our suppliers divert their distribution vehicles to ensure the safest route is taken, rather than the most convenient.

“We understand this is already alleviating the situation somewhat, and we sincerely hope that with a similar approach adopted by all the other construction companies in the neighbouring vicinity this will make for a much safer route each day for the primary school users, and for a quieter and less disrupted neighbourhood overall.

“As a considerate contractor, Jenner always endeavours to act responsibly and with compassion for those impacted by our construction activity in order to minimise disturbance as much as we possibly can.

“Safeguarding the heritage of Hellingly village, whilst ensuring the ultimate safety and wellbeing of all residents, is of paramount importance to us.”

Sussex Police said it is aware of concerns about the ‘speeding’ vehicles in Hellingly.

A police spokesperson said, “We work in partnership with Community Speedwatch (CSW) groups across the county to respond to road safety issues raised by communities and to enforce the law.

“Information about speeding offences can also be reported to us online using Operation Crackdown by visiting www.operationcrackdown.org”

A spokesperson from the protesting group said there are more development sites and other lorries using Church Road as a ‘rat run’.

They said, “Our work isn’t done!”