Ministers must introduce a law mandating HGV drivers to use specialist sat nav equipment after a spate of incidents including bridge crashes, councils are demanding.
The Local Government Association – representing councils in England and Wales – said cases of lorries blocking streets and being stuck in villages is causing “major disruption”.
The LGA said this due to lorry drivers driving down roads unsuitable for their size or weight, claiming they are often being taken there by a sat nav system.
The organisation highlighted an incident of a lorry blocking a street in Bristol for 15 hours before it was moved on by a crane while another crashed into a height restricted railway bridge, disrupting train services during the rush hour in Maidstone.
A third lorry carrying paint also crashed into a bridge in Leicestershire, “spilling substantial amounts of paint over the road and blocking it for 12 hours”, the LGA added.
Now councils are urging the government to introduce a law requiring all HGV drivers use specialist sat nav devices.
The satnav system will detail narrow roads and bridge heights while also allowing users to input their lorry’s dimensions, including height, width, weight and load.
Councils last made the call in 2019 to ban HGV drivers using standard satnav systems and are now demanding ministers use the Transport Bill to mandate specialist devices.
Cllr David Renard, the LGA’s transport spokesperson, said: “The spate of accidents we continue to see involving lorries blocking streets, damaging local areas and crashing into bridges on an all too regular basis are causing major disruption to local communities.
He added: “Councils already work with freight and haulage companies to ensure that lorries use the most suitable routes and roads.
“However there are a minority of drivers who continue to follow sat nav systems that take them down routes that are totally inappropriate for the weight and height of their vehicle.
“By making it mandatory for anyone operating an HGV to use a specialist sat nav device, the government can help reduce the risk of accidents and keep our roads moving”.
The Mirror has contacted the Department for Transport for comment.