Sat nav trucks threaten landmark
Updated on 16 February 2009
A historic landmark which survived the English Civil War is under threat from lorries whose drivers are following route instructions from satellite navigation systems.
Concerned town leaders in Beverley, East Yorkshire, say the 600-year-old North Bar is being bashed by lorries attempting to get through the narrow archway.
East Riding Council has installed a new sign near the archway in a bid to steer lorries away from the structure and is to ask sat nav companies to mark the route as unsuitable for lorries
A council spokesman said: "To help alleviate the problem of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) attempting to use North Bar Within as a through route, we have installed a new sign at the junction of North Bar Within and Hengate, in a bid to steer lorries away from the structure.
"Also the council will try to speak to satellite navigation software programmers to ask them to update their maps. It is hoped that North Bar Within can be marked as unsuitable for HGVs because of its low bridge and Hengate can be shown as the appropriate route for HGV traffic heading out of the town. "
The ancient structure has stood steadfast and secure in the past, particularly during the English Civil War, when King Charles I made Beverley his headquarters as his Cavaliers attempted a siege on Hull in 1642.
Beverley and District Chamber of Trade chairman, Philip Guest, claimed many of the trucks are being driven by foreign drivers.
He told the Hull Daily Mail: "I don't think they would naturally come through the town because they would not know the route. They must be following sat nav for the shortest route."
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