Somerset County Council and Suffolk County Council are to trial a sat nav system that provides preferred routes for trucks

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Councils pilot sat nav system for trucks

Somerset and Suffolk councils hope new plans will minimise the effects of road traffic in rural areas

By Andrea-Marie Vassou 06 Oct 2008

Somerset County Council and Suffolk County Council are to pilot a 'truck-friendly' satellite navigation (sat nav) system.

The sat nav will suggest truck routes and pinpoint the locations of height- and weight-restricted bridges to stop trucks rumbling through small streets and lanes.

Sat navs have been the cause of many gripes from Somerset residents. Last year, villagers in Wedmore asked to be wiped off the map following a sharp increase in traffic after the boom in the technology.

Residents of Barrow Gurney also accused sat nav manufacturers of turning their village into a car park in less than a year, with more than 10,000 vehicles a day using it as a rat run to Bristol Airport.

To try and combat these problems, Somerset County Council has teamed up with Suffolk County Council to help improve the quality of information presented by sat nav systems.

The two councils plan to work with sat nav companies to produce a download containing preferred truck routes and the locations of low or weight-restricted bridges. This should be available within the next few months.

Cllr Tony Shire, Somerset County Council's portfolio holder for highways, said: "For some time now, Somerset County Council has been working to ensure that trucks are using the most appropriate routes and not being inadvertently directed onto unsuitable roads or under height-restricted bridges.”

However, road safety organisations have said people should not be “solely relying on this technology” to get them to their destinations.

Vicki Burn, a representative for the RAC, said: “We understand the councils' concerns but it’s ultimately down to people using their common sense.

“Sat navs should not be used on their own when planning a trip. Drivers should always carry a map with them.”

Luke Bosdet, a representative for the AA, said: People blindly believe what a sat nav tells them but lorry drivers should adhere to the warning bells if they are sent down a street that is too narrow for them.”

Rik Temmink, vice-president of global product management at Tele Atlas, agreed: “Satellite navigation is an aid to navigation, it is not – at this moment in time – a silver bullet.”

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