After many years of campaigning, the whole of Hambledon village is now within an HGV exclusion zone. This means that a driver/owner of a lorry over 7.5 t weight is breaking the law if it enters the zone, unless on a local delivery or operating from a base within the zone.
Emergency and public services vehicles are exempted.
The ban replaces the previous advisory notification, a blue sign largely ignored that simply stated a road was unsuitable for HGVs. Now, all roads at the entrance of the zone have signs with a red diagonal line.
Hambledon resident Paul Osborne, Surrey County Councillor Kevin Deanus and Hambledon Parish Council pressed for a ban repeatedly over the past few years. The exclusion zone required careful consideration to ensure that, in banning HGVs from Hambledon’s narrow lanes, other nearby villages were not blighted. There also had to be a public consultation.
The result is one of the largest HGV exclusion zones in the country and covers not just Hambledon but all adjacent parishes. First time offenders will receive an official warning but repeat offenders can be fined or prosecuted.
Details on how to report a suspected infringement, and a map of the exclusion zone, can be found on this website by following the links under the INFO banner or by clicking here –
http://www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk/?page_id=19661
Hambledon residents can report a suspected infringement by making a note of time and place, registration number, name of operating company and, if possible, a photograph. SCC is also encouraging villages to set up community HGV watches. Details can be found here – https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/parking/moving-traffic-offences/hgv-watch
