New bid to keep heavy lorries out of pollution-hit Storrington

The village has suffered high levels of pollution for years and an ‘Air Quality Management Area’ has been in effect since 2010.

But now members of the newly-formed Storrington Traffic Action Group - STAG - have taken to the streets in a public protest.

The group paraded banners around pedestrian crossings in the High Street and West Street.

A spokesman said their aim is “to persuade fleet operators of HGVs - lorries over 7.5 tonnes - to use the Strategic and Local Lorry Routes map published by West Sussex County Council, which was developed with the advice of the Road Traffic Association in 2008.

“None of the routes on the map pass through Storrington, which is now an over-used rat-run between Fontwell and Washington.”

The spokesman added: “Twenty five to 30 per cent of oxides-of-nitrogen pollution in Storrington come from HGV exhausts and they are also a significant source of black carbon and PM2.5 particles.

“The slow, stop-start progress of these diesels through Storrington and their heavy acceleration up Manley’s Hill are completely different to the conditions for which their emission controls are optimised.

“Their excessive emissions are constrained by conditions in the village, so they disperse slowly.”

“The tiny PM2.5 particles are of great concern, as they quickly pervade all parts of the body and are particularly dangerous to the elderly and very young.

“Air pollution causes 12 per cent of all deaths in the UK.“

“Use of the Storrington rat-run saves 2½ miles. The long-term cost to the NHS and social services of repeatedly doing so are huge.”

The action group says that a large proportion of HGV traffic in Storrington is due to a small number of companies.

It says it will target them with a pressure campaign in a bid to ‘shame’ them into using the advisory routes.

It says it will also encourage all drivers to avoid Storrington where possible and to drive in a pollution-reducing style.

The next STAG event is planned for Friday (March 6) from 11am to 1pm at the junction of Old Mill drive and High Street.

The group says members of the public are invited to join the protest or e-mail STAG to offer any other support at: [email protected]