- Title: U.K.: VILLAGERS PROTEST AT GROWING NUMBER OF T.I.R.'s PASSING THROUGH TOWN.
- Date: 21st October 1972
- Summary: 1. GV Lorry passing white cliffs of Dover 0.05 2. SV Lorry through village 0.10 3. SCU Sign "Bridge" 0.11 4. SV Demonstrators with signs sitting in road (2 shots) 0.24 5. SCU Policeman addresses crowd through loud hailer 0.35 6. SCU Effigy of Ministry official PAN TO people moving through village 0.45 7. MV Protestor sets effigy alight and crowd cheers (2 shots) 1.02 LORRY AT DOVER: LORRY THROUGH VILLAGE: DEMONSTRATORS BLOCK ROAD: POLICE: DEMONSTRATORS BURN EFFIGY. Initials BB/0230 GF-DF/BOB/BB/0212 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th November 1972 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BRIDGE, KENT, U.K.
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA47XY1HGP2TE9JW3JBG145R1HI
- Story Text: Alarm is growing among the residents of country villages in southern England as the number of giant international transport vehicles (known as T.I.R.'s) passing through their areas continues to grow.
The T.I.R.'s--weighing up to forty tons--rumble through the countryside and the villages on their way to and from southern ports and the Continent.
At times, they have to pass through village streets no more than eighteen feet wide, causing claim the residents, unbearable noise and damage to their homes fronting the street.
Villages and towns particularly affected are sited along the main A-2 highway from Dover to London. Residents along this stretch of road have formed a???active group to protest at what they say is the growing menace of the T.I.R.'s. And, they point out that when Britain joins the Common Market at the beginning of next year, the already heavy flow of giant vehicles will increase even further.
The latest protest at the situation occurred today (Saturday, 21 October) when several hundred people sat down on the main A-2 roadway in the village of Bridge in Kent, forcing police to divert traffic for nearly an hour.
After two warnings from the reinforced police group at the scene, the demonstrators marched along the length of the main street through Bridge to a rally. The rally broke up with the burning of an effigy representing officialdom.
The residents want a by-pass built around Bridge, and for speed limits to be reduced in villages along the road and at known danger spots.
During the rally, the demonstrators unanimously passed a resolution deploring the apathy of the Department of the Environment in its attitude to the safety of people using and living near the A-2 highway.
Already, the people affected by the problem are speculating that unless something is done now, their worries will increase even more if the proposed channel tunnel is constructed and operating within ten years.
SYNOPSIS: From Dover and other ports, giant Continental lorries known as T.I.R.'s rumble inland--through the quiet villages of southern England.
The people of Bridge in Kent held a sit-down protest against the lorries on Saturday, blocking the main A-2 highway from Dover to London which carries a constant stream of T.I.R.'s.
Police moved the protestors on, but they succeeded in blocking the road for half an hour, causing traffic to be diverted.
The people of Bridge want a by-pass built around their village because, they say, the T.I.R.'s are noisy, dangerous and damage their homes.
The villagers claim the Department of the Environment is apathetic towards the safety of people living along the A-2 and the protestors burnt an effigy of officialdom. They say the problem will be worse if a channel tunnel is built between Britain and France.
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