LOCAL campaigners are trying to highlight the problem of HGVs flouting weight restrictions in Downton following a number of worrying incidents.

Jane Launchbury had her car dragged down the road by a lorry that thought it was following black HGV signage.

She is now calling for a multi-agency approach from the council, police, highways agency and trading standards to tackle the problem.

She said: “At the moment lorries come from the M27 not knowing that they can’t come through Downton.

“They should be using the A338 to go to the industrial estate yet they keep coming through the village.

“A very large HGV that was coming through the village collided with our parked car and dragged it about 15 feet along the road.

“This is a good example of ongoing flouting of the ban on HGVs through the village.

“The driver was courteous and polite but clearly had no idea that he was not supposed to be using the route through the village.”

The local councillor Julian Johnson has said work is being done to address the problem.

He said: “We have had two HGV area weight limit meetings chaired by the New Forest National Park Authority and we plan on having more in the New Year.

“It is about trying to speak to local transport managers and getting them to educate their suppliers to use the A338.

“We are trying to get trading standards to restart the lorry watch scheme and it is on the agenda.”