Sandwich Town Team has released its traffic strategy to stop lorries coming into the historic town and causing damage.

It has created a Green Paper which was drawn up after numerous 40 tonne HGVs became stuck in Sandwich last month and brought traffic to a standstill.

Fearing for the safety of their properties and families, residents were forced to take matters into their own hands and stop lorry drivers from attempting manoeuvres that would have resulted in accidents.

The town team says its paper sets out a radical programme for consultation with key stakeholders from local government, police, the heritage sector, transport operators and business.

Richard Ralph, chairman, said: “The Town Team has the skills, drive and determination to see an end to the current traffic shambles in Sandwich. What we are proposing is nothing more than what other historic centres of national importance have. Following the general election, we now have political support and momentum which wasn’t there before.”

It includes a 7.5 tonne weight limit throughout the conservation zone with limited exemptions for deliveries and service vehicles.

Prominent signs and visual cues on the approach roads to discourage lorries from entering and a re-think of how buses are deployed with a critical eye on size and emissions.

The group also suggests speeding tables, pinch points, crossings and bollards to calm traffic.

It also wants to make the one-way system safer for pedestrians with a shared space or pedestrianisation.

The Town Team says that although English Heritage regards the town as a national asset due to its historical importance there have been no attempts to protect it from heavy vehicles.

The group has now been working with Dover District Council and was visited by leader of the council, Paul Watkins, on May 26.

Michael John Holloway, councillor and Town Team member, said: “Paul Watkins’ visit to Sandwich last week so soon after the general election is a positive and important step in getting Dover District and Sandwich Town Councils working jointly to put pressure on KCC to resolve the town’s traffic problems.

“The next steps will be to put the Green Paper to the Sandwich Traffic Stakeholder Working Group, started by former Thanet South MP Laura Sandys and now chaired by Craig Mackinlay MP, whilst at the same time following up with Dover District Council and KCC.”