Couple living in fear of lorry crash (From Free Press Series)

Couple living in fear of lorry crash

A CHEPSTOW man who says he is at his wits-end after articulated lorries damaged his home is now demanding the council put weight restrictions on the road.

Mr Graham Evans and his family have been living in their home in Church Road since December 2003.

And after several incidents of lorries hitting and damaging his property, Mr Evans is demanding the council do something to resolve the potentially dangerous situation.

Most recently a lorry hit the wall near his window and crushed a large flower pot when it mounted the pavement out side his front door.

And in a separate recent incident police were called by a traffic warden after a lorry became stuck on the corner of Church Road when the driver could not negotiate the bend.

Mr Evans said: "Me and my wife are at our wits-ends - we're on tender hooks every time a lorry passes, we jump up and watch it, to make sure it doesn't hit our home.'

"I still haven't managed to have the window fixed where a lorry recently bumped into it because the building companies are so busy will bigger jobs.

"This house is 200 years old and a Grade II listed building. My home is at risk and I want the council to do something to protect it.

"You can see the previous damaged done to the building, even the guy next door had to move his satalite dish because it kept being knocked off. I live here with my wife and five children, I am concerned about our youngest, who is only 10."

Mr Evans since placed two large concrete plant pots outside his front door to keep the lorries' wheel away from his house.

"I have been told to remove the plant pots because there was no room for wheelchair access, but there is plenty of space.

"What if a wheelchair is there when a lorry comes around the corner. would it be the lorry or the wheelchair?

"Or what if a mother had been pushing her baby in a pram when the lorry hit the flower pot? They wouldn't have stood a hope in hell.

"I have asked the council to put bollards up, but they say it is not possible. If the council did put the bollards up and they had to keep replacing them because they would see how ridiculous the situation is."

Local councillor, Matt Jones, said: "I feel very disappointed for the property owner for his building to be damaged. I intend to contact Mr Evans about this matter in the near future."

A spokesman for Monmouthshire county council said: An investigation including a survey of road geometry is still pending."