Shaftesbury Dorset - Juggernaut Watch

Welcome to Shaftesbury, Dorset - Juggernaut-Watch

Success at Last

The new HGV diversion signs are now in place to prevent HGVs from attempting the ascent into Shaftesbury from the west, using unsuitable roads; they will now be directed out onto the A30. We hope that these signs will be effective, and we need to monitor the situation to determine whether mandatory weight limit signs are still needed.

These signs should prevent the chaos that has occurred in the past as depicted below:

10th October 2006 – A German Lorry with Dutch trailer gets stuck, failing to gain traction on the hill and slides back out of control into the wall causing damage. Three policemen and two police cars attend, a recovery truck is called and another policeman and police car attend to supervise the recovery, backing the HGV down the hill to the Abbey School before turning out down Foyle Hill. The driver complained that there were no signs warning him of the steep hill ahead or of the unsuitability for heavy vehicles, otherwise, he said, he would not have attempted it.

17th May 2006 - A Polish HGV, with trailer, gets stuck just up from the Abbey First School, Shaftesbury. The road is closed for most of the afternoon, two Police officers attend at various times, the juggernaut driver speaks no English so a Polish interpreter has to be summoned.

watch the video

12th October 2005 - More Chaos as a C.A. Stevens (Transport) Ltd. Aggregate HGV fails to get traction on the hill and gets stuck; it has to reverse right back down to the Abbey School.

Right: 13th Sept. 2004, and another one bites the dust.

8th. September 2004 – A chilled distribution HGV (disguised as Bruce Springsteen!) operated by Morris Transport of Maes-y-Clawdd Ind Est Maesbury Rd Oswestry Shropshire SY10 8NN, jack-knifes on a hill whilst trying to get traction.