The roadworks though Newton Poppleford have been an eye-opener to the damage that heavy goods vehicles do to daily life.

A few weeks without HGVs has shown a different side to life in what is without them a very attractive Devon village.

The noise and vibration of these vehicles is substantial.

Newton Poppleford has a large number of listed buildings, many 400 years old and built of cob directly at the edge of the carriageway along its high street and never intended to suffer the stress of HGVs.

These vehicles also have an unpleasant pneumatic effect, displacing air with a heavy thrust which has to be experienced to be understood.

There is also a speeding problem with large vehicles – one black spot is travelling west up the hill from the bridge and arriving at the top of the hill with much noise at the crossing.

We need a 20mph limit now and county highways to look again at controlling HGVs and returning Newton Poppleford to the residents.

Peter Wadham

(via email)