Campaign to stop Waste Transfer Lorries gathers speed

Epsom Liberal Democrats are campaigning to stop waste from other boroughs being brought to the transfer station in Blenheim Road. They have asked SITA (the waste company employed by Surrey County Council) to find a different route for the huge Britaniacrest lorries to use instead of Hook Road and Epsom town centre.

The lorries transfer waste from the council tip and can leave the site in Blenheim Road via the Chessington Road instead of driving up Hook Road and into Epsom town centre. Hook Road residents have complained that the road surface is being worn out and that their period property is vibrating with the weight of the lorries.

Cllr Julie Morris, joined by local residents Alison Kelly and Julia Kirkland in the campaign, has compared two alternative routes with the Hook Road journey. She claims both routes would mean lorries could still complete their journey satisfactorily but are much less populated, faster and more suitable for HGVs. Cllr Morris said "either route is far more suitable and the potential for either being quicker is enormous because Epsom town centre is always so congested. On 12th February, between 12.15 pm and 12.45pm I observed 5 of these Britaniacrest lorries in Hook Road in half an hour - that could mean 80 use Hook Road every day, one every 6 minutes."

Having presented all the information to SITA, the Lib Dems will continue discussing the options with them. Cllr Morris says this is just the first stage in their campaign to rid the Blenheim Road site of its practice of taking in waste from four other boroughs. "We want to get the lorries to use a more suitable route, then reduce the number of journeys they have to make because they will only be dealing with waste transfer from our own borough."

The two alternative routes (not exceeding a speed of 50 mph) to Leatherhead A 24 roundabout are compared with the existing route below:

• Alternative A: Via Blenheim Road, Chessington Road, Chessington and Malden Rushett: 7.6 miles: 16 minutes.
• Alternative B: Via Blenheim Road, Chessington Road, Horton Lane and Malden Rushett: 8 miles: 15 minutes.
• Existing route: Hook Road, Epsom town centre and Ashtead: 4.6 miles: 13 minutes.