Hospital visitors sent down dead end road by sat nav

John Batchelor, 66, who lives in Newton Road, Dovercourt, said lorries, ambulances and cars are misdirected to the cul-de-sac daily.

The problem arises as the nearby Fryatt Hospital shares a postcode with the road.

He said: “I’ve always been aware there’s constantly people coming down the road and turning around.

“We knew they weren’t visiting people as there are only about eight houses in the street.

“We often get people driving up and looking around totally lost. Some approach you and ask ‘How do you get to the hospital?

“I have to tell them ‘Well, the hospital is just over there, but you can’t come through my garden I’m afraid’.

DAMAGED POLE: The telegraph pole which was damaged after a lorry struggled to manouevre

“A few years ago I wrote to the RAC and the AA because if you use their route planning services to go to the hospital, it drops you straight down Newton Road.

“The only thing I can think of is the end of my road comes nearest to the actual hospital building than others, but that’s no excuse.”

Mr Batchelor explained how Newton Road is often listed as a diversion route when there are road closures in the town, despite being a cul-de-sac.

Matters are worsened by the fact Borno Chemist is also situated within the hospital, meaning lorry deliveries for the pharmacy are often misdirected down the road.

This influx of heavy goods vehicles has seen walls knocked down and a telegraph pole broken.

“There’s potential for damage to property, we’ve seen it before. It’s a tight cul-de-sac and large vehicles attempt to turn around in it,” he added.