The Downton Society strongly supports the campaign to enforce the 7.5T weight restriction through the village (your report of the December 18 refers).

Enforcement of the ban has remained a priority of the local Neighbourhood Police Tasking Group for over 3 years and monitoring of lorry movements has established that the majority of HGVs are accessing the Downton Industrial Estate which is on the northern edge of the village, on the A338. We also know that many of the lorries exit the M27 motorway at Junction 1 and drive through the New Forest into Downton on the B3079/B3080.

The B3080 through Downton is narrow, winding and heavily congested, and it runs through a Conservation Area with many vulnerable listed buildings situated close to the road.

It can barely cope with legitimate lorry traffic dropping off and picking up within the weight limit zone. Satnav systems are partially to blame for directing traffic onto B routes through the Forest and Downton village but, in our view, inadequate signage appears to be at the root of the problem.

A major mitigating action would be to include a prominent warning sign erected on the M27 between Junctions 1 and 2. It should advise drivers that there is a weight limit through the New Forest and direct HGV's to carry straight on to the A31 and exit via the A338 instead of exiting at the Cadnam roundabout. (There are already large warning signs on the A31 from Ringwood and the A336 from Totton/Lyndhurst, and we will be pressing the Highways Authority for a similar sign on the motorway). We are also requesting support for more effective enforcement from all parties involved in the weight limit meetings being chaired by the NFPA - including Hampshire and Wiltshire County Councils, the police, Parish Councils, Councillors and concerned local residents - and hope that action can be agreed very soon to prevent further damage caused by HGVs flouting the ban.

Claire Freemantle Vice chairman Downton Society