Residents have opposed Elmbridge Borough Council’s plans to extend the operating hours for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) during school hours.
The council’s application to adjust the planning conditions for its Mill Road Depot includes proposals to extend operating hours by two hours from Monday to Saturday (6am to 8pm) and four hours on Sundays and bank holidays (6am to 6pm).
While operations currently run from 6:30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 4pm on Sundays, the council has said that the changes are required to ensure the seamless running of waste services going forward.
The application also proposes ending the limit on the number of vehicles that cannot use the bridge.
According to the council, the existing conditions create challenges for staff to complete all scheduled rounds due to operational ‘restrictions’, preventing the local authority from delivering the standard of service residents expect.
In a statement, the council warned that without the suggested changes, additional vehicles and staff would be required to deliver the same services, resulting in more lorries on the roads and increased costs for both the local authority and residents.
However, the application has been met with 212 objections from the public, with residents expressing concerns about the safety hazards posed to children and other pedestrians if operations are permitted during school drop-off and pick-up times.
One resident highlighted the increased ‘presence of vulnerable pupils’ following the introduction of SEND provision at a nearby primary school and noted the ‘sensitivity of the surrounding environment’.
Another voiced ‘strong objections’ to the changes, citing concerns such as ‘serious safety risks’ for school children, as well as negative impacts on the environment and public health due to the effects on air quality.
The formal objection reads: ‘Introducing additional industrial vehicles into this environment during peak "school run" times is, in our view, a serious safety risk. The combination of heavy industrial machinery and young children in a congested residential space is a dangerous oversight.’
Sign up here to receive our free weekly news bulletin and quarterly e-book.
