Sat nav lorry stuck twice in day in Snowdonia village

The lorry got stuck on one side of Beddgelert on Monday morning, and then later at the other side of the village

An articulated lorry got stuck twice in one day near the same Snowdonia village after the driver used his sat nav to find a route from Bangor to Aberystwyth.

It first blocked the road on Monday as the driver failed to cross a bridge at Beddgelert, Gwynedd.

Later police escorted him away when he got stuck on his way back.

Halfords apologised for the incident and said a full review will be held.

Gwynedd Council said new signs advise that routes through the village are not suitable for large vehicles.

It is not the first time large vehicles have failed to negotiate the narrow rural roads and villagers held a public meeting in Beddgelert last year.

"A month ago I put a piece in our community newsletter asking people to take pictures of any incidents and to send them to me, as a way to monitor the situation," said Sharon Sanders, from Plas Tan y Graig in Beddgelert.

"Then on Monday I got an email with a picture of an enormous Halfords lorry, which had travelled up the valley through Waunfawr, and got as far as Craflwyn before it blocked off the road."

Ms Sanders said the police were called and the driver was advised not to use the same route again.

Villagers say they are fed up with large lorries trying to negotiate their way through the village

Later the same day the same lorry appears to have travelled as far as Porthmadog before turning right at Tremadog up the A498 again towards Beddgelert, before the driver tried to turn back.

"There are big international signs, with a blue background, showing a lorry with a red line through it and a satellite, which clearly states the route is unsuitable, but they still come here," Ms Sanders said.

"We'd like legislation to change the signs, so they are not just advisory as they are at the moment," Ms Sanders added.

Gwynedd councillor Alwyn Gruffydd said he backed calls for tougher measures.

"We aren't talking about a cattle or coal lorry here, these are huge articulated trucks," he said.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said new road signs have been erected on all approaches to Beddgelert advising motorists that the route is unsuitable for large vehicle.

"The council will also be contacting the Freight Transport and Road Haulage Association to reiterate that the A498 through Beddgelert in unsuitable for HGVs," he added.

Halfords apologised fully for the incident which it said was "in clear breach of our operating guidelines".

In a statement the company added: "Halfords has strict procedures in place that normally ensure drivers use the most appropriate routes and avoid dangerous manoeuvres and unnecessary disruption to local communities.

"We take the matter very seriously and are carrying out a full review."