Hi all, first time I have been down this area for a while so came into Shaftesbury and saw the sign saying hgv Poole bound follow Melbury Abbas…well what a route at first anyway, came to the pinch point and had a stand off with a car, obviously I could not go anywhere with traffic behind me and trailer cutting in, passenger got out and gave me abuse but I kept calm and sat there saying I can’t do anything then he said why are you coming this way and I say I’m following diversion route, anyway bloke behind said your right it does say hgvs to come down here, why on earth are the council sending hgvs down there because if two meet on that pinch point then it’s interesting. I heard that the other week or month an ambulance was on blues and met a hgv, tried to get passed and got wedged, surely that’s enough said so that route gets stopped, I know I certainly wont go that way again
It’s designed so that southbound goes one way and northbound goes a different way.
If and it’s a big if everyone follows signage.1
toonsy:
It’s designed so that southbound goes one way and northbound goes a different way.If and it’s a big if everyone follows signage.1
Got to admit though even meeting cars coming northbound was a nightmare at those pinch points and the looks people were giving me too haha oh and the abuse by that lovely fellow
toonsy:
It’s designed so that southbound goes one way and northbound goes a different way.If and it’s a big if everyone follows signage.1
Spot on ^^. I went south through Melbury the other month and flaming met not one but two artics and it was a right arse.
Take the village of Melbury out the equation it’s a nice road with some great views .
One way system for trucks, two way for ither traffic works OK in France. The “wrong way” isn’t advisory though there are “3.5T Prohibition” signs up in one direction, other is open. Access is possible to all the road, but only from one direction. Bit if planning and all works OK. If you need access just inside the limit ftom the “wrong way”, and need to go a long way to get there… well… ain’t perfect, but that’s it.
Some small towns are like that, and a big lump S.E. of Bordeaux too.
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It tends to work better in the winter months, when the only folk on the road are locals who know the score. Both roads are bloody atrocious given the volumes of traffic which use them, and the fact that they lead to a ferry port; unfortunately the nature of the area means the same NIMBY’s who whine about the lorries are the same ones who’d oppose any suggestion of a bypass.
all it needs is a viaduct over the valley on stilts, sorted, they cant do much through the village as the cemetery is right next to the road up the bank. and we all know how much it would inconvenience those buried there.
I went that way about a year ago and I couldn’t believe I was on the official HGV route. Kept thinking I must of gone wrong. Especially when you see the sign with all the restrictions on, road narrows, width limit etc. Seems daft but that’s how they want it
I went down that road one night in a car en route to Bournemouth and on the way back made a detour to confirm that it was a lorry route. I thought I had misread the sign and couldn’t believe that it was a signposted lorry route.
So when some prick from a car who refuses to move and comes out asking what you’ve brought the truck on this road for there should be a right to grip hold of em and drag em down to the sign and ask em if that answers their question. Don’t like it? Ask the council to find or build new route for HGVs
I took the advised Southbound council route from Shaftesbury, via Melbury Abbas, never again, a foreign artic going up the hill, by the house with the score board, of how many HGV`s stranded, was jammed next to a rigid going North .
The foreign driver would not reverse back, and the rigid lorry had its drivers window broken, when they passed each other.Its mirror arm pushed in to break the glass .
Another way to Blandford, is not much better, but better than Melbury, i use Sherborne to Sturminster Newton .
If HGVs are getting stranded regular enough for a “score board” then surely anyone can see it shouldn’t be the advised route to send us!
DickyNick:
If HGVs are getting stranded regular enough for a “score board” then surely anyone can see it shouldn’t be the advised route to send us!
I went there in July 2016 so obviously no one in the locality is bothered about it.
Fincham:
DickyNick:
If HGVs are getting stranded regular enough for a “score board” then surely anyone can see it shouldn’t be the advised route to send us!I went there in July 2016 so obviously no one in the locality is bothered about it.
All the locals are fed up with it being a hgv route,the problem is that the northbound A350 route is just as bad but in more places. So no one wins on this one. Short of making it a 3t route some hgv will ignore the advisory. The A350 could do with being widened to stop avoid Melbury Abbas.
Im glad I only do this route once in a while, plus I do it at night but STILL hgvs come from Poole direction heading to Shaftesbury when theyre not suppose to. Also car drivers see the sign on hill flashing saying to please wait amd stop there is a HGV coming though but no they keep on coming and then wmoan like a ■■■■■ that we shouldnt be driving through there! 
Like the Middle East conflict, this will never go away.