A COUNCILLOR has hit out after North Yorkshire Police revealed it has not conducted any campaigns to enforce lorry weight limits within the past five years.

The force also said there had been no prosecutions of drivers for breaching the 7.5 tonne limit over the same period.

Mark Warters, Osbaldwick and Derwent councillor on City of York Council, who discovered the data through a Freedom of Information request, said he was appalled by the response.

He said he received more complaints from the public about lorries and skip wagons cutting through Osbaldwick and Murton than any other issue.

"They use the village roads, which are totally unsuitable, while travelling into and out of York," he said.

"They want to avoid congestion on Hull Road, which is caused largely by the bus lanes introduced by the council, which restrict traffic flow," he said.

"I would like to see a concerted campaign to enforce the order but what also concerns me is that if the police don't enforce these orders, what other orders are they not enforcing?"

Traffic management officer Steve Burrell told Cllr Warters that North Yorkshire Police had limited resources which it used as effectively and efficiently as possible.

He said environmental weight restrictions were not a priority for the force but he had brought the councillor's concerns to the attention of the local policing team and the local roads policing unit. "I am sure that should officers witness a breach of the weight restriction that they will take action which they consider to be appropriate," he added.

A force spokesman said it was always mindful of the concerns of local residents and would act upon them where possible.

He said the local Safer Neighbourhood Team had liaised with local businesses in the Osbaldwick area to try and address the issue and officers would take appropriate action if they witnessed a driver acting contrary to weight restrictions.

However, he said: “Conducting specific operations to enforce weight restrictions offences requires a great deal of police personnel and vehicles, and in the current financial climate, North Yorkshire Police has to ensure that it makes the best possible use of its resources.”