The quarries near Cheddar are a source of local income and employment, but hauling thousands of tonnes of stone to Hinkley Point has a dramatic impact on the residents along the route, especially in Cheddar.
As part of his District Council role, Graham Godwin-Pearson sits on the Quarry Liaison Committee for Batts Combe and he and Jeff have pledged to do all that they can to minimise the impact of the lorries, including:-
- Representing the interests of residents most affected, especially those on Venns Gate and Warrens Hill,
- Ensuring that any damage to properties and vehicles is repaired properly,
- Resurfacing roads that have been damaged,
- Ensuring that the quarry operators are enforcing existing rules, such as time limits, lorry scheduling, speed limits and wheel washing etc (Jeff was instrumental in installing lorry washers in the first place).
Graham and Jeff will continue to work with the quarries, not against them, to keep the impact to a minimum, including reviewing the timings and routes. This also means that there's an open dialogue for community improvements, such as the gabions in Cheddar Gorge and the new car park surface at Weare Academy.
