A LORRY caused quite the scene in Marlborough when it got stuck between two buildings trying to turn out of Silverless Street.

Workers in nearby shops and offices in Kingsbury Street looked on in amazement as The John Raymond Transport lorry, based in Cannock, became wedged between Primrose Lane flower shop and Shield Management, both of which are Grade II listed buildings.

The incident happened at around 4pm last Thursday and the lorry knocked the Primrose Lane shop sign off the front of the building and loosened the guttering.

The driver was able to manoeuvre the lorry out of the position within 20 minutes, but the closure of Kingsbury Street still caused long traffic delays in the town.

Business people in Kingsbury Street have long been campaigning for a ban on lorries, saying buildings are frequently being damaged by lorries attempting the turn from Silverless Street. They have welcomed news that Wiltshire Council is shortly to put up signs explaining that the road is not suitable for heavy vehicles, but many fear this measure may not be enough.

Staff at Shield Management, based in Dormy House, have been logging incidents and said their building has been damaged on at least five separate occasions by lorries over the last year.

Louise Backhouse from Shield Management said: “We’re happy that something is actually being done, whether it’s going to be enough is another matter.

“As far as I’m aware the signs are just advisory explaining that the road is not suitable for heavy vehicles.

“The lorry that hit the building this time was an English driver but quite often its foreign drivers following sat-navs so whether these signs would have an effect on them I’m not sure.

“If something could be done with regards to sat-navs that would be ideal. I’d like to think that sometime in the future local authorities could have some say as to what information is input into sat-navs.”

Janice Mister’s business, Studio 42, has been hit on a number of occasions and on the advice of Wiltshire Council she and other businesses on Kingsbury Road raised the issue with Marlborough Area Board, which resulted in the decision to put up the new signs.

She said: “It’s great that something is finally being done but it’s what happens in the mean time that’s the issue.

“It would be great if we could get the lorries off the road all together but I don’t think that is possible.

“When we do finally get the signs it will be a godsend but I’ve been told it can take up to a year to get the signs agreed.”

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “The issue was raised at the Community Area Transport meeting in January and we are arranging for advisory signs to be installed.”