Huhne welcomes ban on late night lorries

6.53.29pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 13th May 2008

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne welcomed a victory for local residents in West End and Horton Heath over rapidly rising lorry traffic.

The Deputy Traffic Commissioner has decided to ban heavy lorries from using the Chalcroft Distribution Park between 9pm and 5am at night when he renewed the licenses of three operators.

Mr Huhne said:

"This is an important victory for the residents' campaign to ensure that they can have some peace of mind and that children can get a good night's sleep.

"The Chalcroft distribution park began as a Royal Navy victualling depot connected by rail, and has been transformed without any public decision into a major lorry park fed by road. This is a landmark decision in turning back the inappropriate use of the site" said Mr Huhne.

"This welcome judgement is an important precedent for the further licenses of other operators that will come up next year" said Mr Huhne. "The campaign continues".

Mr Huhne pointed out that there was a vast amount of lorry traffic in and out of Chalcroft Distribution Park that had to use a tiny country lane - Burnetts Lane - never designed for the purpose, which posed real dangers and nuisance to residents.

Mr Huhne gave evidence to the Deputy Traffic Commissioner at the hearing held at the Hilton Hotel at the beginning of April.