Halifax villagers' fears over narrow streets used as 'rat run' by lorries

Traffic passes less than a metre from houses, residents say

Residents have called for a ban on lorries using their village as a "rat run" after a string of collisions and near-misses.

Villagers urged safety measures to deter heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from passing along narrow country roads at Jumples Crag in Mixenden, near Halifax.

In the latest reported incident, a lorry crashed into a tree last month.

Calderdale Council said it understood the concerns and was working to introduce weight restrictions.

Residents argued the route had poor visibility and at one point allowed vehicles to pass just 93cm (3.2ft) from houses.

They said the council had told them measures would be in place by spring 2023.

Clare Simeunovich, who has lived in the area since 1974, said the country lane had become a "horrendous rat run for thousands of cars a day".

'Lengthy process'

Residents have installed CCTV cameras to document the issue, with footage showing a lorry crashing at the pinch point on 18 July.

Ms Simeunovich said her house had a been hit by an HGV in a previous incident and schoolchildren were sometimes forced to climb onto a wall to avoid traffic.

Another resident, Linda Thornber, told BBC Look North she had even been "sworn at and told to get off the road" by lorry drivers while walking along the road. She said: "What am I supposed to do? I'm not Mary Poppins, I can't fly."

Holly Lynch, the MP for Halifax, said it was "incredibly frustrating" heavy vehicles kept using the shortcut despite signs warning the road was unsuitable for them.

She called on lorry drivers to "just think about residents" and avoid the route if possible.

Signs warn lorry drivers against using the road

Jenny Lynn, cabinet member for public services and communities, said the council understood the concerns and was working to introduce a 3.5-tonne limit on vehicles passing through Jumples Crag.

She added: "To bring in this new weight restriction, we first had to go through a lengthy statutory process.

"This is now complete, and we are now designing the signs that are needed to implement the traffic order. Once the designs are complete, the signs will be made and installed on and around the site."