A DECISION to route large supermarket lorries straight through the heart of Great Dunmow has been condemned as appalling by the town s councillors. As part of a planning agreement for a new store on Thaxted Road in Saffron Walden –which goes before the

A DECISION to route large supermarket lorries straight through the heart of Great Dunmow has been condemned as "appalling" by the town's councillors.

As part of a planning agreement for a new store on Thaxted Road in Saffron Walden -which goes before the planning authority, Uttlesford District Council, in January - up to eight heavy-goods vehicles per day will trundle through the High Street and Market Place after leaving the nearby A120. They will then head up the B184 through Thaxted and into Saffron Walden.

Dunmow town councillor Wendy Barron, who chairs the town's traffic management group, said: "We are very unhappy about it and I will be doing all I can to discuss it at our full council meeting [due to take place on Thursday night]. We are also very disappointed that we have not been consulted about this before.

"The Sainsbury's store will be of benefit to Saffron Walden so why should the lorries come through on this route? Although we do not have the power to stop it from happening, we will be objecting to it. It is an appalling decision - there must be another way."

Many Dunmow residents and councillors agree with Cllr Barron's viewpoint.

Cllr Philip Milne said: "Surely going up the M11 would be quicker and less mileage. Every time a lorry goes past my house it shakes so we do not need more of them.

"Dunmow would certainly not benefit from any more traffic in the town centre."

Local resident, Peter Graves, e-mailed the Broadcast after seeing the plans on the Uttlesford District Council website. He said: "It's ridiculous. Heavy goods vehicles will have to negotiate the busy High Street, the Starr restaurant bottleneck and the tortuous narrow B184.

"Perhaps Saffron Walden is worried about additional traffic so they are happy to dump it on long-suffering Great Dunmow."

The proposal to use the B184 as the main delivery route is still not a final decision however, according to Sainsbury's development surveyor Michael Morris.

He said: "No decision has been made on the alternative delivery route via Thaxted, which is being explored as a result of feedback at our public exhibitions.

"The B184 route has no HGV restrictions and, if chosen, a limit of four HGVs would use the route in any 24-hour period, with the remaining maximum four deliveries coming in smaller vehicles.

"All deliveries would be outside peak periods to minimise any potential disruption to local traffic."

He added that members of the community can submit comments to a Sainsbury's help team prior to the application being decided. The community line is 0800 019 2205 or e-mail info@sainsburys-saffronwalden.co.uk

WHAT do you think? Should Great Dunmow be handling vehicles heading for Saffron Walden?

E-mail us at editor@dunmow-broadcast.co.uk or call us on 01799 512880.