Thorpe Road is set to reopen this evening (Friday) which will be good news for local residents following a two week closure.
The road has been closed to allow developers Snowdon Homes to work on drainage and carriageway improvements as part of the new housing development on the former hospital site.
NEMM has been contacted by concerned residents throughout the closure with local side streets being used as a diversion route, and some HGV drivers ignoring road closure signs and becoming stuck down narrow roads.
Thorpe Road has been closed to allow carriageway and drainage works to take place. Photo: NEMM
Residents were assured by Snowdon Homes and Leicestershire County Council that the closure would be better signposted after the road was closed for emergency repairs in December 2022 which saw cars damaged and congestion throughout the route.
One resident who contacted us and didn't wish to be named said: "I live on Salisbury Avenue, looking down Limes Avenue so see a lot. Snowdon Homes made promises at the meeting I attended and a lot have gone unfulfilled. They promised barriers to prevent HGVs and wardens, this hasn't happened.
Hgv drivers do a tough job and I have helped as many as I can to get off the estate safely. I didn't take the photos to shame anyone, I took them to show that LCC/ Snowdon homes haven't carried out the road closure/ signage properly if that makes sense."
When approached for comment on the signage and HGV situation, Leicestershire County Council did not respond.
One of the lorries going the wrong way through the weight restriction. Photo: Supplied
On Tuesday drivers were subject to extra delays after a HGV got stuck along the route and ended up reversing in to a van which blocked the road, resulting in Police attending and fining the driver.
A spokesperson for Melton Police said: " Once the HGV was assisted out of the estate, the officers issued a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) for the weight restriction breach.
With the HGV being international the officers were guided by the RPU (Roads Policing Unit) as the on-the-spot fine must be paid there and then."
The lorry caused big problems on Tuesday after colliding with a van. Photo: supplied.
HGV's can legally enter a weight restriction zone to access a premises or to load/unload and once they have entered the zone they can legally exit by any route.
A one way system has been put in place around Kings Road and Stafford Avenue to try and help traffic moving around the roadworks but there have still been reports of signage not being sufficient and drivers not following the diversion correctly.
The road is set to reopen by 5pm today (Friday) in time for the CiCLE Classic Women's and Junoir Race which is set to come through town on Sunday meaning rolling road closures on Saxby Road and a full day closure on Sherrard Street.
Snowden Homes were approached for comment.
At the time of going to press, DFDS did not reply to our request for a statement, after what appears to be their lorry breaking the weight restriction.
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