Campaign group launched over home damage fears in West Norfolk

A campaign to stop lorries using a South Lynn road as a short cut during road works has been launched.

Residents claim vibrations caused by trucks travelling down Wisbech Road to avoid works at Saddlebow Interchange is causing damage to their homes.

County councillor Alexandra Kemp, who has launched a Community HGV Vehicle Watch group, says 16 lorries were caught using the route over a 24-hour period on Tuesday.

She said: "Since the Hardwick Interchange closure six months ago, regular use of Wisbech Road by heavy vehicles ignoring the 7.5 tonne ban has damaged the surface and foundations of Wisbech Road. Highways England will have to completely resurface the road in August.

"Until then, I have asked Highways England to put in a temporary measures to help relieve damage to residents' homes.

"The damage caused to Wisbech Road residents' homes includes dropped front doors which can no longer be opened, as well as cracks outside and inside homes, and internal water pipe and water tank damage. Nothing like this has happened before."

Resident Denise Paynter said: "We were out counting how many lorries were going down our road and even after we went back inside, I could still hear more going down our road.

"They are causing damage to everybody's houses. I have cracks in my ceiling and I can't open my front door, and that's the same as a number of people down this street. The doors are lopsided.

"I can't fix these until August because that is when they are resurfacing the road. The lorries would only damage what had just been fixed.

"You can hear the lorries going by and you can feel them as well. People have had pictures shaking on their walls. There are cracks in most people's homes now. I've been in here for 40 years and nothing like this has happened before."