A logistics firm hit back today after villagers claimed lorries had clogged up their narrow country lanes – claiming it was the council’s fault for not improving the roads.
Locals in the Lincolnshire parish of Goxhill say their lives have become a misery after a warehouse belonging to the company Salfina was expanded a decade ago.
They claim the huge site had resulted in hundreds of 44-tonne lorries rumbling along their country roads – causing constant noise, accidents and blaring horns.
The residents say the trucks had taken over what was a previously tranquil area, while police confirmed the traffic conditions were ‘unsafe and unsuitable for HGVs’.
But bosses at Salfina hit back today, putting the blame on North Lincolnshire Council which they said granted full planning permission in 2015 for a major new grain store without making any improvements to local roads to accommodate the extra lorries.
Salfina also said it made ‘a number of suggestions to the authorities which would help to alleviate some of the problems’ – but none have yet been implemented.
The council has not commented today, however local MP Martin Vickers said it was a ‘no-win situation’ for the authority as it ‘worked tirelessly to deliver a solution’.
Logistics company Salfina issued a series of photographs taken in Goxhill, Lincolnshire, as the row deepened over lorries causing chaos in the village. The firm claimed local residents were ‘exacerbating the situation by deliberately parking their vehicles on the wider sections of the road therefore forcing large vehicles to have to make corrective actions’
Another image from Salfina allegedly showing local residents ‘deliberately parking their vehicles on the wider sections of the road’ to cause further problems for lorry drivers
An image from Salfina allegedly showing a tractor parked to cause more problems for HGVs
This is the moment two lorries got stuck trying to pass each other on a narrow country lane near the tranquil village of Goxhill
Locals complain they are woken up by thundering wagons that start coming by at 4am, and that they’ve had their walls and outbuildings knocked down
The main issue is that Church Side in the South End area of the village is barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass, so meeting lorries – one going to and one coming from the warehouse – either have to reverse or pull onto a pathway to get through.
But Salfina sensationally claimed some local residents were now ‘exacerbating the situation by deliberately parking their vehicles on the wider sections of the road therefore forcing large vehicles to have to make corrective actions’.
They provided photo evidence of the practice – saying that while it was legal, it amounted to ‘a cynical and deliberate attempt by some residents to make their point by frustrating the flow of traffic’ and added to the local road safety issues.
However, some locals told MailOnline that while they had been accused of parking in the passing area, where they park sometimes is not a passing place – it’s just the normal road.
It comes after residents claimed the volume of trucks driving past – one resident sat in his deckchair and tallied 56 in one hour – is making for an impossible situation for them, as they have to share the road with pedestrians, cyclists, cars, horses and tractors.
But John Nuttall, managing director of Salfina, told MailOnline: ‘The warehouse facility on Chapelfield Road has been designated for light industrial use and warehousing for several decades.
‘In 2015 North Lincolnshire Council granted the previous owners full planning permission for a new 21,000 tes (metric tonne) grain store on the site, expanding storage capacity by some 70 per cent.’
Mr Nuttall also responded to claims from residents that they did not get the opportunity to object to the application because they knew nothing about it.
He said: ‘The council is required to publicly advertise all planning applications and to allow a period of 21 days for consultees and neighbours to make a written response.
‘In the case of this planning application there were no objections from residents or any of the statutory consultees.’
He continued, saying that in granting full planning permission, the council ‘had the opportunity to put into place improvements to the local roads to accommodate the inevitable increase in heavy goods vehicle traffic required to service the site.
‘However, no conditions or restrictions were attached to the planning permission and consequently no such upgrades or improvements to the local roads were put in place.’
Villagers of the North Lincolnshire village (pictured) have described how the slew of HGVs has caused them to live on ‘tenterhooks’ in their previously tranquil surroundings
Picture of Jamie’s garden wall after it was hit by an HGV
Mum-of-two Claire Ramsey-Mayes, 48, and husband, shipping agent Jason Ramsey, 54, live near the most dangerous spot in the village
Mr Nuttall confirmed that Salfina does not dispute that sections of Church Side are ‘unsuitable for the dual movement of large vehicles and have made a number of suggestions to the authorities which would help to alleviate some of the problems’.
But he continued: ‘To date none of these have been implemented. In contrast, rather than offering solutions some of the residents are exacerbating the situation by deliberately parking their vehicles on the wider sections of the road therefore forcing large vehicles to have to make corrective actions.
‘Whilst perfectly legal, this practice can only be described as a cynical and deliberate attempt by some residents to make their point by frustrating the flow of traffic on Church Side.
‘It also undermines their argument about road safety when they themselves are adding to the danger which the residents claim that they oppose.’
Mr Nutall sent MailOnline some photographs which he said showed residents’ vehicles parking on Church Side and the effect this had on traffic flows.
He also responded to claims that residents were being woken up by lorries as early as 4am, saying that the site does not open until 6am and ‘therefore we can only assume that these vehicles are not associated with our site and may instead by travelling to one of the other Goxhill businesses or farms’.
Mr Nutall also pointed out that shipping agent Jason Ramsey, 54, who lives near the most dangerous spot in the village, ‘will, more than anyone, understand the challenges of moving large volumes of bulk products’.
Mr Ramsey’s company Independent Shipping Agencies provides logistics services at ports throughout the UK.
And Mr Nutall said: ‘His company represents one of the UK’s major agricultural trading companies who, prior to Salfina’s purchase of the site in 2020, used the Goxhill site to store thousands of tonnes of agricultural products.
‘This company’s activities generate thousands of vehicular movements which impact other communities in northern Lincolnshire and across the UK as far as Portland Port in Dorset where seemingly there are also issues with residents and heavy goods vehicles.’
Mr Nutall directed MailOnline to a report in the Dorset Echo which claimed that lorries travelling along one of Weymouth’s most polluted streets were causing ‘suffering’ for residents.
He continued: ‘The irony of this will no doubt not be lost on your readers.
‘The issues on this section of South End are well documented and clearly the situation is not improving for residents, businesses and other users.
‘Salfina operates a legitimate business compliant within the planning permission granted for the Chapelfield Road site.
‘From the outset we have communicated openly and regularly through the proper channels, proposing proactive measures and potential solutions.
‘We remain committed to working with North Lincolnshire Council who have the responsibility for providing and maintaining safe, fit-for-purpose road infrastructure in the county.’
The statement from Salfina comes after MailOnline reported on residents’ concerns about the number of lorries going past their rural homes.
Mr Ramsey’s wife, mother-of-two Claire Ramsey-Mayes, 48, who lives directly at the most dangerous spot, was among those quoted.
She said: ‘It is often not just two lorries meeting, but several, so you can end up with a convoy of lorries reversing to let each other through. It is complete nonsense.’
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes and her husband have put CCTV up outside their home to capture hair-raising incidents on camera.
They also post their and others’ videos onto an Instagram account called @southend_hgv which is run by a neighbour.
Footage shows lorries driving into walls, stubborn truckers and madcap manoeuvres.
Locals complain they are woken up by thundering wagons that start coming by at 4am and that they have had their walls and outbuildings knocked down.
They also say they have had to come out of their homes to help drivers navigate out of tricky situations, had cars smashed and one man managed to dodge a hostile trucker who went to punch him.
Residents living in the luxurious expansive homes and farms along Church Side are located near a huge grain store that had four sheds which can hold up to 20,000 tonnes of grain in each.
Most of the truck traffic on their 300-year-old road is drivers picking up giant shipments of grain, such as wheat and wood pellets for animal feed or biofuel, from the local docks at Immingham 10 miles away, to go to the warehouse, run by Salfina, located at an old RAF base. They then drive back.
Police have confirmed the traffic conditions are ‘unsafe and unsuitable for HGVs’
The villagers are up in arms after a nearby warehouse was expanded 10 years ago – bringing hundreds of 44 tonne lorries rumbling along their country roads. Pictured: The industrial estate in South End where all the lorries drop off and pickup loads
Picture of resident Jamie whose garden walls have been hit by HGVs
Footage shows lorries driving into walls, stubborn truckers and madcap manoeuvres
In addition to that they have drivers for buyers who have bought the grain, who pick it up from the store. On days where there has been a shipment, the locals said they can see hundreds of lorries ploughing through their village.
Mr Ramsey said: ‘If you do the maths then you have shipments of 20,000 tonnes of grain coming in and lorries that can carry around 29 tonnes in each, that means around 700 lorries coming through our village and going back again.’
Locals say these big shipments happen every couple of months with lorries coming to buy the grain bringing around 30 to 40 lorries through on a daily basis.
Then when the grain is running low another shipment comes in again.
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes said: ‘You live on tenterhooks thinking, will today be the day. It’s awful.’
But another headache for the locals is the wrangle with North Lincolnshire Council, who they say have caused this situation by approving planning permission to extend the grain warehouse and further add to the strain by not doing anything to help.
The HGVs collect goods the local docks at Immingham 10 miles away, then go to the warehouse (pictured), run by firm Salfina, located at an old RAF base
Up to 50 HGVs a day are being driven past the villagers home in Goxhill, North Lincolnshire
Pictured: An HGV crawling past another HGV while knocking over a street bollard (bottom left)
Most of the truck traffic on their 300-year-old road is drivers picking up giant shipments of grain, such as wheat and wood pellets for animal feed or biofuel
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes said: ‘They already knew there was a problem in 2010 when I complained because my son, Thomas, who was seven at the time and is now 23, could have been killed by a lorry that mounted the kerb while he was walking to get the school bus.
‘I’d already asked for there to be things put in place to make it safer for us and then they go and approve an extension to the warehouse without thinking about transport flow.
‘We didn’t get a chance to object because we didn’t know about it.’
Over the years there have been several consultations but the only action taken is to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 30mph and to put in floppy boulders in problematic pinch points, which are constantly knocked over.
In around 2015 a relief road was created for construction vehicles to use to undertake essential gas pipework. There were talks to make this permanent but this was removed after completion.
Residents of Goxhill have been complaining to North Lincolnshire Council over the HGV swarm
Pictured: The industrial estate in South End where all the lorries drop off and pickup loads
Queues of HGV have been clogging up roads in the area
Residents of the village has been expressing their anger after up to 50 HGVs a day have been spotted driving past their homes
And now, the latest idea is to create a one-way system around the village, but this moves the problem further up into the village and locals there are angry about that. The problem has now split the village.
A meeting was called in January this year where Leslie Potts from North Lincolnshire Council said she would look at the issue and was concerned it was not just a safety issue but a quality of life issue.
There locals voted against the one-way move with 109 objections and only nine in support.
Despite backing from the Police and Crime Commissioner, Jonathan Evison, who told the families concerned it should not be a numbers game, it is about safety – the council seem reluctant to help the affected few.
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes said: ‘We’ve been told that the council would rather have 10 people complaining, us along this road, rather than 100.
The Salfina warehouse location used to be an RAF base
Residents of Goxhill have said they regularly have to wait in lengthy queues of HGVs
The mass of lorries has caused locals difficulties in travelling around their village
Over the years there have been several consultations but the only action taken is to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 30mph and to put in floppy boulders in problematic pinch points, which are constantly knocked over
‘The meeting in January was horrendous, we basically sat there while others from the village took potshots at us.
‘I had one man come up to me and point in my face saying ‘We don’t want your lorries’. I said these are not my lorries. They say it’s our fault we live here.
‘When we moved here there was a grain store around the corner and it was busy at harvest time and that was it.
‘We realise trucks need to come past here. For now we’re wanting some emergency procedures in place for when shipments come in until a long-term solution is sought, because we can’t keep going on like this. The roads aren’t suitable for this type of volume. It’s dangerous and they know it.
‘Somebody from the council said that there would be more action if somebody died there. We don’t want that to happen before something is done because we know it is an accident waiting to happen.
Locals post their videos of the situation onto the Instagram account @southend_hgv
‘There is then constant fighting in the village and ill feeling between us here and those further up.
‘I hate it here now. We cannot afford to move because my mum and dad live with us, my mum has Alzheimer’s. I don’t like going out around here and we don’t use local tradespeople. I don’t even go to the local shops.’
Mr Ramsey said: ‘We came here wanting the village life, it’s peaceful and there are no street lights at night, it’s just what you are wanting. But we didn’t want this fight.’
Their daughter, Genevieve, 11, has ponies but they have pick safe days to take her out.
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes said: ‘Even if there was a resolution I will never forgive the council for taking ten years of our lives over this. They are bullies. They say they are looking into it and they do nothing.’
Locals argue the narrow country lanes are not designed for wide load HGVs
The latest idea is to create a one-way system around the village, but this moves the problem further up into the village and locals there are angry about that plan. The problem has now split the village
Mrs Ramsey-Mayes’s father, Vic Mayes, 79, said: ‘It really needs a bypass put in place but that will cost millions and nobody has the money to pay for that.’
Others along the road refused to be named for fear of repercussions from the other villagers.
A 70-year-old man, who lives there, said: ‘The council screwed up 10 years ago, they should never have allowed that place to be built without a proper infrastructure survey.
‘They never advised us what was going to happen, they said it didn’t affect us but it does when you have 40 tonne lorries coming down your street. Once we realised what was happening we were told it’s too late to object.
‘It’s a joke, a nonsense. If somebody had done the job they’re paid to do, somebody would have realised a 44 tonne truck coming down the road and another one coming the other way is a problem.
‘Everyone knows it’s unsafe around here. It was a stupid idea and nobody will admit it because nobody wants to be the one to say we messed up.
The North Lincolnshire residents are annoyed about the HGV invasion of their village
The idyllic peaceful location for the families living in the North Lincolnshire parish has become a living nightmare with trucks taking over the tranquility
‘You have a country village with 300-year-old roads and put a 44 tonne truck on it.
‘I sat in a deckchair for an hour with a beer and a fag and I counted 56 lorries in one hour. It is unacceptable. It was a dumb idea and they won’t admit it because it will cost them.’
Local MP Martin Vickers said: ‘This is a no-win situation for North Lincs Council. I know that they have worked tirelessly to deliver a solution. I have always ensured that the concerns of residents are passed to the council and will continue to do so.’
MailOnline has contacted North Lincolnshire Council for comment.
In a statement issued on May 21, it said: ‘We are considering options following community conversation – this is taking a little longer than we expected due to its complexity and the number of views we received.
‘We also need to consult with our place partners and consider whatever the options are consider whole of the community. We are proposing to share in the next two months.’
Is your village being blighted by HGVs? Email: tips@dailymail.com