Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The next meeting is on the 8th November in Salisbury.

At any meeting of Wiltshire Council, formal questions can be submitted in advance by councillors and members of the public.

I have submitted my first one for the 8th November meeting and it relates to the Bath lorry ban

'Question for Cllr. Tonge.

The 18T Weight Restriction at Cleveland Bridge, Bath.

The proposed 18T Weight Limit on Cleveland Bridge is likely to have significant implications for many villages and towns in Wiltshire.

The proposal, to be enforced through an Experimental Order approved by the B&NES Cabinet on 14 September, and to be implemented early next year, appears to have been ill-considered and, as an Experimental Order, it has not benefited from the full consultation that would normally be associated with such a proposal. Many believe that B&NES has acted in a cavalier manner, choosing to avoid consultation and the submission of a full portfolio of evidence to support the proposal. It has succumbed to political pressure to the detriment of neighbouring authorities and it appears indifferent to the effect that such a proposal will have on nearby villages and towns.

Two possible approaches for Wiltshire Council to adopt in respect of the Experimental Order are:

• To seek a Judicial Review to examine the process adopted by B&NES in approving the proposal.

• To adopt ‘safeguarding measures’ for the villages by imposing restrictions on the roads through the villages likely to be affected by the Experimental Order such that heavy lorries will be prohibited from using them.

Can you please confirm if either, or both, of these approaches is being considered by you and the reasons if they are not.'