Lorry loads of lost sleep

Phelyp Bennett counted the lorries arriving and departing the depot in Beal Lane, Shaw

‘We make every attempt to be a good neighbour’
A SHAW resident didn’t count sheep when he couldn’t sleep — he counted lorries.

The constant rumbling from a procession of HGVs travelling along Beal Lane to the Shop Direct site is a nightmare for locals who have begun a campaign for a reduction in traffic.

Beal Lane resident Phelyp Bennett decided to wait at the mini-roundabout near the depot and record the traffic that passed him from 10.30pm to 1am one weekday night earlier this month.

He witnessed 66 HGV vehicles leave the Shop Direct depot towards the motorway, and 10 HGVs go into the site, along with 15 other vehicles.

Neighbours, who can’t take the noise any longer have resorted to ear plugs and sleeping pills, while Oak House Hotel owner Gill Harkins says her guests can’t sleep.

Mr Bennett said: “I have every sympathy for the B&B because I can’t sleep with my windows open.

“Between 12 and 1am there were vehicles pulling out of Shop Direct at a rate of one a minute.

“The depot needs to check how many movements of vehicles they have to see if they are pushing the limit.”

A Shop Direct spokeswoman confirmed that their vehicle activity stops between 10pm and 6am, so any vehicles accessing or leaving the site between those times, belong to Yodel — a parcel delivery company under the same ownership as Shop Direct.

A spokesman for Yodel said: “At the Shaw site, we make every attempt to be a good neighbour and work within the operation limits granted to us by respective authorities.

“All our drivers have been put through a rigorous driving course and are assessed regularly.

“This ensures drivers reduce revving and over- accelerating and perform in a safe and responsible manner.

“We continue to invest in new vehicles which through modern technology continue to reduce noise pollution.”