'Entertaining' lay-by doesn't amuse homeowners

Cranbrook parking place used to be in rural location

A layby that lorry drivers are using to ‘entertain’ female companions will be closed.

The laybys, right in the middle of Cranbrook, are also being used a public toilet, for boy racers to congregate and play loud music and swear, and the proximity to houses mean that lorry drivers can see into homes from their cabs.

East Devon councillors unanimously agreed to close the laybys so that Devon County Council’s Highways officers to come up with a solution.

Cllr Ray Bloxham, who brought the proposal to East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee, said that the laybys used to be in a rural location but now are in the middle of Cranbrook.

He said: “The two laybys in question are now principally used by HGVs for overnight parking as a free car park. This results in considerable disturbance to adjacent households and there have been a series of complaints about noise disturbance especially overnight from refrigerated units and from engines being started and left running during the early hours. There have been ancillary complaints about anti-social behaviour by drivers using the hedgerow as a toilet and other unpleasant behaviours. He added that there was organised lorry parking less than a mile away in Clyst Honiton, but there is a fee for it, so they prefer to park for free.

A resident of Roman Way, which is just 15 metres away over a hedge, said that they see anti-social behaviour ‘night and day’. She said: “There are privacy issues as from their cabs, they can see into our residences, while the anti-social behaviour is disturbing out sleep. One lorry driver ‘entertained’ a female companion in his cab overnight and she left at 5.30am in the morning. This is the kind of behaviour we want to end. Some of the drivers urinate and use the hedge as a toilet, and they leave litter there which attracts vermin, and at night you get boy racers there and they play music and swear loudly."

Mike Jones, senior Devon County Council traffic officer said that the laybys were on the road so lorry drivers have a place to stop. “I know this is not a popular thing to suggest, but the people who bought the houses bought them in full knowledge of the layby.”

But Cllr Richard Scott said that was an inappropriate argument to make, as it would be the same as saying if you bought a house next to a field, then it could never be built on. He said that if that argument was used, then Cranbrook itself would never have been built.

Cllr Phil Twiss said that he fully supported the laybys being closed to vehicles, but said that as a cyclist who used the road, those laybys are a handy little refuge to stop and have a drink or check tyres. He said: “I agree that we should close them, but officers need to go away and come up with a practical solution.”