RESIDENTS are calling for a ban on HGVs on one of Colchester's residential streets.

Members of Myland Community Council want Essex County Council to enforce the ban on most of Mill Road, Colchester, between its junction with Severalls Lane and the Via Urbis Romanae (VUR) road.

The VUR opened earlier this year and community councillors say it serves as an alternative route for HGVs wanting to get to the A12 and can access it via Axial Way.

The ban, if agreed, would span almost a mile and would be enforced by a number of warning signs.

Myland Community Council vice-chairman John Stewart said: "It was suggested to me by one of my local constituents and when he mentioned it I thought this would be a good idea.

"Now Axial Way and the VUR are open there is no need for HGVs to travel down Mill Road.

"It has not been that safe for some time.

"I have been there and seen some horrendous juggernauts come on there.

"HGVs from Ipswich Road and Severalls Business Park don't need to go down there."

Mr Stewart added: "We need a Traffic Regulation Order which bans vehicles above a certain weight or dimension - that's the ideal scenario.

"But we need the backing of the police. The way things are with their resources, we don't think they would support that.

"The alternative is to signs put up saying 'not suitable for HGVs'."

Suggested locations for the signs would be at Mill Road's junctions with Severalls Lane, Brinkley Grove Road and the Northern Approach Road, Mr Stewart said.

"I would think the cost would be low," he added.

"It would also improve the air quality."

Mr Stewart said Mill Road - a popular walking route for schoolchildren and mums with pushchairs - had a couple of unsafe pinchpoints.

"There is one footway that measures at the most, 3ft wide. If you have got an HGV coming the other way it has got no room for manoevre, they have to go near to the footway," he said.

Another pinchpoint is close to the junction with Brinkley Grove Road where traffic travelling eastwards has to stop to allow bigger vehicles through.

Elsewhere in Colchester HGVs are banned from the Dutch Quarter - imposed by Essex County Council after they tried to use it as a cut through to the High Street.

Sign in St Peter’s Street and on the Middleborough roundabout state that St Helen’s Lane and surrounding streets are unsuitable for heavy vehicles.

Myland Community Council will discuss the proposal at its meeting at Mile End Methodist Church Hall, Nayland Road, at 7.30pm on Wednesday.