ANOTHER option that could work in Sevenoaks is to make the upper High Street area a one-way route for lorries.

That is how the market town of Bungay in Suffolk has gone about addressing the problem of HGVs damaging listed buildings.

Town councillor Malcolm Bedingfield (corr) painted a picture of life in Bungay before the restriction was put in place, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Sevenoaks' problems.

Here HGVs totally unsuited to the town centre regularly used to meet head on.

Bus shelters were routinely destroyed in the melee that followed and corners of historic listed buildings ripped off.

It was decided enough was enough and the town council petitioned highways' authority Suffolk County Council for action.

Cllr Bedingfield said: "We've now got a restriction on lorries coming through the town from north to south.

"They're not allowed to come in that way, they've got to go around the bypass.

"Also there's now a one way street into the town.

"It's not by any means a problem solved, but with the narrow roads you don't get the problem of two lorries meeting at once.

"It's got a bit better than it was, but it's still not good enough."

Mr Bedingfield added the town council was still working hard to convince the county council to put in more restrictions to further alleviate the problem of HGVs and help protect the town's heritage.

Clearly there are solutions to the problem, but Cllr Bedingfield warned against expecting results over night.

He said the issue predated his service as a councillor by several years – and he has been a member for the past three.

"All you can do is keep ploughing away," he said.

"You've got to keep on at the county council at regular intervals and become a nuisance.

"That's the only way you will get things done. Just be persistent."