Dear Mr Gray

While I accept that HGVs do typically cause more damage to the fabric of roads than most other vehicles, the flow of large vehicles along the B4069 Lyneham Banks is such that this would not be the main factor determining the road's condition. Rather, it is the fact that Lyneham Banks is situated on a geologically unstable escarpment which causes a section of the road surface to become uneven, distorted and badly cracked and leads to the requirement for substantial annual maintenance.

In terms of the transportation of waste along the B4069, I can confirm that we have made objections to the draft Monmouthshire Local Plan seeking that Monmouthshire County Council makes more of a commitment to the local provision for waste treatment or disposal. We have also raised this issue with Viridor, who have similarly objected to the lack of waste provision in the Monmouthshire Local Plan. In addition, the issue of the B4069 and access to the Sands Farm landfill site was raised at a liaison meeting with Viridor and it is my understanding that Viridor are now looking into this matter.

With regard to the weight limit request, in my letter to you dated 14th June 2004, I outlined that the County Council typically follows a phased approach in dealing with local HGV issues. As the first phase of such an approach is to establish the nature and significance of the problem, I have asked relevant officers to arrange for an appropriate assessment to be undertaken to help establish these factors.

G.C. Batten
Environmental Services Department
Wiltshire County Council
dated 1st July 2004