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Home blighted by sat-nav nightmare - WHAT DO YOU THINK?



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Published Date: 06 August 2008
A WOMAN'S idyllic country house will be "impossible to sell" after being damaged on 15 different occasions by misguided lorry drivers.





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Amanda Sandland, of Bodfari, says that she will never be able to move because her property is at high risk of being hit again by HGV drivers trying to squeeze through the narrow lane that runs past her house.

"Since moving here 18 years ago, this has happened 15 times," said Amanda.

"It's to the point where I get at least one HGV hitting my house every year.

"It's no longer a case of will they hit the house, it's a question of when will they hit it. That kind of information would have to go in a Home Information Pack making it impossible to sell. Who would want to live here knowing that?"

In the most recent incident a lorry driver got stuck driving past her house and then reversed – taking part of the roof and gable as well as the guttering with it.

Amanda's neighbour saw it happen and took the driver's details and his company has agreed to pay for the damage, but Amanda says there have been at least four occasions when someone has damaged the house and driven off.

"My insurance costs have rocketed – it's a 50 per cent increase in premium each time you have to claim," she said.

"My main worry is that before damage is fixed loose slates and guttering on the house could fall injuring someone – and I would be responsible for that."

Amanda said that she thinks sat-navs are making the problem worse – as they direct drivers through Bodfari as a shortcut – and she is now pushing Denbighshire County Council to put signs up on the A55 warning heavy vehicles not to come that way.

She added: "I can never rest easy thinking that at any moment it could happen again.

"My 18-year-old daughter Jemma refused to stay here until the most recent damage was fixed, she was terrified.

"The first time it happened she was only 10-months-old and I thought it was a one off – I never thought I'd still be worrying about this 18 years on."

Other residents are backing Amanda in her calls for better signs on the A55.

Retired David Griffiths, who has lived in Bodfari all his life, said: "It's absolutely disgraceful and I feel very sorry for the family. It's not like this is a new problem it's been going on for 18 years.

"Road conditions are not a factor in this either. It makes you ask – are the council and the police doing enough?

"It's a complete nightmare and it is devaluing Amanda's property through no fault of her own."

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: "We are aware of the issues at Bodfari relating to this property. Signs have been installed over recent years along this stretch of road, informing motorists that the road is unsuitable for long vehicles.

"We have also been in touch with a number of companies that use long vehicles following incidents at the location and we have appealed with them not to use narrow lanes but to use main A roads instead, for safety reasons. We would reiterate that appeal."


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The full article contains 581 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 07 August 2008 10:01 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Denbighshire
 
 

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