LORRIES using a residential road as a shortcut to Westbury trading estates have caused so much damage to a low rail bridge the road has been closed for six weeks while it is made safe.

Hawkeridge Road is still being used by heavy goods vehicles despite a link road being built to take traffic away from unsuitable roads and low bridges.

Westbury mayor Horace Prickett, who lives by the bridge, said: "There are far too many lorries using that road and they are not following the instructions of the county council because freight routes clearly state it is a residential road and they should not be using it, they should be using the Hawkeridge link road. Sign posts also say they shouldn't use it."

People living in the small communities of Hawkeridge and Heywood campaigned for many years for the new link road but many feel its use should be reinforced by a weight restriction being placed on roads like Hawkeridge Road.

Cllr Prickett said: "It is not so much the volume of traffic but that these are the heaviest vehicles allowed on our roads and they are shaking a residential road and the houses along it."

The work on the bridge is being carried out by Network Rail and is expected to cost £200,000.

A spokesman said: "We are rebuilding part of the sub-structure of the bridge in order to stabilise it because does often seem to be the target of lorries hitting it."

Network Rail will also be doing work to strengthen an adjoining wall and cleaning and painting the bridge.

Residents living along Hawkeridge Road have been campaigning for more to be done to stop lorries using the road, including a weight restriction to be placed along it.

Resident Maurice Gunstone said: "By virtue of the fact the road is closed for six weeks it seems an opportune time to put a weight restriction on the road."