A HGV ban is being called for in Pool amid fears over the danger to pedestrians from lorries mounting the pavement.

Adel and Wharfedale councillor Barry Anderson wants to see large lorries banned from Main Street and Arthington Lane but says he is disappointed by the response of Leeds City Council. Cllr Anderson has been arguing for the ban for some time and has raised the issue again with Leeds amid further local concerns.

He said: "I have been raising the issue of the number of HGVs coming through Pool for a very long time. Although Pool is at the intersection of two major A-roads it is a highly unsuitable highway for very large HGVs and a number of problems have and still do occur including HGVs mounting the pavement on Main Street and Arthington Lane because they cannot pass through on the road if another HGV is there at the same time.

"I have worked tirelessly and tenaciously with my colleague from Harewood ward, Cllr Matthew Robinson, to try and get an HGV ban on both Main Street and Arthington Lane but the Council are not willing to work towards this and have cited a number of reasons why this cannot happen, including an unwillingness to discuss the problem with North Yorkshire County Council who would have to be part of any solution.

"I was extremely disappointed to receive a response from the Head of Highways Transport Planning that effectively said there was no danger to anyone from HGVs mounting the pavements because 'HGV drivers are professional drivers and given their elevated seating/driving position are often able to see approaching vehicles and pedestrians well in advance of normal car drivers' . "

Cllr Anderson stressed: "These very large vehicles are driving past the school, bus stops where children are waiting for school buses or alighting from school buses, an older people’s sheltered complex and a number of entrances and exits to various cul de sacs. The situation will not get any better with the expansion of the industrial units up at the airport which will require larger vehicles to deliver and receive goods.

"There are still a number of other road safety issues outstanding in Pool and I met with the new Head of Highways Transport Planning to show her round the village and explain all of the problems residents in Pool are facing. I have also met with a number of residents in Arthington village, along with the Highways Engineer, as those residents also have concerns at the speed and volume of HGVs coming into the village. The Highways Engineer has taken away a number of actions to do and issues to resolve.

"There is a lack of safe pedestrian space throughout both villages, including only pavement on one side at times and a solution for the problems going all the way from Harewood through Arthington, through Pool to Otley is needed urgently.”

A response to Cllr Anderson from the Head of Transport Planning at the Council says:"The HGV movement through Pool village is raised annually as an ongoing concerns and the Council has explored these concerns extensively as we appreciate the concerns of residents through the village that the HGV usage is not comfortable, particularly when walking."

The reply says a number of surveys have been carried out on Main Street and Arthington Lane and the data showed the number of HGVs was relatively low for an A- classified route - and was a low percentage of the daily traffic flow on the A659.

"The actual number of heavy goods vehicles has remained fairly consistent over time, rather than increasing. For the council to consider any form of HGV restriction (in this case an environmental HGV restriction) the percentage of HGV using the route has to account for at least 10% of the daily traffic flow and we have to demonstrate that this HGV movement is having a detrimental effect on the area before we can considering a prohibition."

The Council says it has explored the feasibility of an HGV prohibition on the A659 but the intervention criteria has never been met.