Residents 'fed up' with 'speeding' lorries using village roads to bypass major roadworks in Northampton

Residents are reportedly ‘fed up’ with ‘speeding’ lorries using their village as a rat run to bypass major roadworks on the edge of Northampton.

Duston and Harpole residents are unhappy with HGVs ignoring warnings not to use their roads as cut throughs to bypass roadworks on Berrywood Road and Sandy Lane.

Sandy Lane – a major road between the two neighbourhoods – has been closed for reconstruction works and the realignment of the road and roundabout since June 12 and will reopen on March 31, 2024.

Roadworks to accommodate the hundreds of new homes being built in the area have been non-stop since summer 2022.

Following the announcement of the Sandy Lane works earlier this year, Duston Parish Council (DPC) penned a scathing open letter to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) criticising the plans.

The letter said: “DPC is concerned about the proposed roadworks...representing approximately nine months of frustration and chaos for local residents.

"DPC is deeply troubled by the potential impact these works will have on thousands of people, businesses and other organisations.”

One month into the works and DPC believes its prediction was correct.

Chair of DPC, councillor Paul Enright-King said: “As predicted the volume of traffic coming through the parish of Duston has increased. Due to the diversions we now have HGVs are using our residential roads. The speed at which these vehicles come through Duston has also been a concern for us. Understandably the residents in St Giles Park and Alsace Park are completely fed up with it all. The problem is that this is now going to last for months."

Harpole Parish Council has also been contacted for comment.

A WNC spokesman said: “We are aware of the issues being raised by the community in Harpole and we’re working with a variety of stakeholders to mitigate them. As soon as we have further information on this we will offer an update.“We had some discussion around this with DPC prior to work starting and will make contact again to consider what problems have emerged and how we might work together to reduce them.”

Despite the road closure, Sandy Lane Plants is open for business as usual.