A MOVE to ban lorries from the centre of a North Yorkshire town could be scaled down, after businesses objected and new data showed pollution problems are not as bad as feared.

A weight limit has been talked about the for level crossing in Norton, near Malton, for many months, to stop heavy lorries using the road through the towns and causing a major air pollution headache for local councils - particularly at Butcher Corner, in the centre of Malton.

Proposals for a 7.5 tonne weight limit were drawn up earlier this year, and North Yorkshire County Council asked Ryedale District Council, the police, the Highways Agency, and Norton Town Council what they thought of the plans.

However, no businesses were asked to contribute, so another consultation was then launched to give hauliers and businesses which rely heavily on the roads chance to have their say.

Agricultural suppliers BATA said banning their 32-strong fleet of lorries from using the level crossing would cost them £90,000; while Travis Perkins said the ban would send their lorries on a 16 to 20 mile long diversion and have an unfair impact for their company.

Drinks suppliers Tate Smith and Fletchers Coaches both asked for an exemption - either for their vehicles, or on an “except for access” basis.

A report is due to be presented to the Ryedale area committee of North Yorkshire County Council this week setting out the businesses’ concerns.

However, the report also says levels of harmful NO2 are already falling in Malton, and lorries are already migrating away from the town centres to use the new Brambling Fields A64 junction instead.

York Press:

Council staff are now suggesting the 7.5 tonne limit is dropped in favour of a less stringent 18 tonne limit, which would stop only the largest of lorries from passing through Malton and Norton.

The report says: “It is considered that an 18 tonne weight restriction would have a less severe impact on businesses compared to a 7.5 tonne restriction whilst still delivering environmental benefits in terms of improvements to air quality in Malton and Norton.”

The Ryedale area committee will have chance to discuss the proposals when it meets on Wednesday, and their comments will be passed on to the county council’s business and environmental director David Bowe.