Local councillors and residents in South Marston are ramping up pressure on Amazon as reports emerge of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) repeatedly violating weight restrictions in the village.
For some time, local traffic regulations have prohibited lorries exceeding 7.5 tonnes from navigating the village’s narrow roads. However, despite these clear restrictions, witnesses have reported frequent sightings of Amazon-branded HGVs using the village as a thoroughfare.
The issue was brought to the forefront this Tuesday by Councillor Matthew Vallender. In a recent social media update, Cllr Vallender confirmed he is actively engaging with the retail giant to address the breach of local traffic laws.
“Amazon has confirmed it is reminding drivers of the restrictions and will shortly be introducing monitoring to identify vehicles entering the village, allowing them to take action against the hauliers responsible,” Cllr Vallender stated.
In an effort to gather hard evidence, the councillor has appealed to the local community for assistance. He has asked residents to document any sightings of Amazon HGVs travelling through the village by noting the vehicle registration number and, where possible, capturing photographic evidence. This data will then be submitted directly to Amazon for investigation.
“I’ll keep pushing to get this resolved and stop HGVs breaking the weight limit in South Marston,” he added.
When approached regarding the ongoing disruptions, Amazon provided a written response to the councillor, stating that the company’s internal navigation systems are configured to avoid such restricted routes.
“The navigation system we provide… does not direct them through South Marston village or any weigh-restricted roads,” an Amazon spokesperson wrote in correspondence shared by Cllr Vallender. “We are looking into why this is occurring.”
While the company maintains that their official logistics software should prevent such incidents, the persistence of these heavy vehicles suggests a disconnect between the firm’s digital routing and the reality on the ground.
South Marston is not the only area struggling with the impact of large commercial vehicles. The issue mirrors similar concerns raised in other parts of the region, including Kingshill Road, where a weight restriction was implemented last December, specifically aimed at reducing air pollution and traffic congestion in the area.
Residents are encouraged to continue monitoring for violations and to forward any findings to their local representatives as the campaign to secure the village’s narrow roads continues. Whether the introduction of active monitoring and clearer driver communications will be sufficient to deter the traffic remains to be seen, but councillors have vowed to maintain the pressure until the weight limits are strictly observed.
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