Ban placed on DHL car transporters using residential street to access East of England Showground

A car storage depot operator has been banned from using a residential street for access to the East of England Showground.

Logistics firm DHL has been told it can no longer use Dunblane Drive in Orton Southgate as a route for its car transporters to get to and from the Showground.

Instead vehicles will be re-routed to enter along Joseph Odam Way, which is a purpose built main road to the Showground.

The ban has been imposed by Peterborough City Council while it is involved in talks with Showground operator AEPG after councillors rejected its retrospective application for a five year change of use to the Showground for a car storage and maintenance depot by DHL.

The storage depot, which employs 160 staff, is still in operation while AEPG representatives talks to council officers about a possible solution following the application’s rejection.

The depot began operating in about February this year and triggered many complaints from residents in and around Dunblane Drive angry at the sudden appearance of car transporters, which householders claimed caused blockages and dangers on the roads.

DHL says there are eight transporter movements a day.

A council spokesperson said: “With effect from November 10, agreement has been reached that access to the showground by DHL via Dunblane Drive is prohibited.

“DHL will take down directional signage and a dedicated individual will be in place along the road for two weeks to ensure any drivers unaware are re-routed via the parkway to enter along Joseph Odam Way – a purpose built main road to the showground.

It adds: “DHL is currently undertaking highways modelling work which will be checked and verified by the council ahead of submission to January’s planning meeting, detailing Joseph Odam Way as the only access road.

“The Dunblane Drive access has been removed from the planning application, which means it cannot be used by DHL.

The spokesperson said: “We understand residents have been significantly affected by the frequency of HGVs passing through and hope to reassure that this is not allowed to continue, supporting the planning committee’s grounds for objection.

“As a responsible body, we have a duty of care to all individuals in the community and believe this solution safeguards the jobs DHL highlighted as at risk, whilst addressing the disruption to the community.”

Councillor Julie Stevenson said: “While Orton Southgate residents will breathe a sigh of relief, this news is causing great distress to residents of Orton Northgate, in particular residents of East of England Way and Arena Drive, whose homes back onto the internal showground road the transporters will be using.

“It seems to me that the needs of both AEPG and DHL are being put before the needs of local people, despite the council’s own planning committee ruling otherwise.

She said: “The matter will be raised at a meeting of the planning committee in January, and I expect a delegation of very angry Orton Northgate residents will be represented.

She added: “It also begs a question about the speedway.

"If it’s now okay for AEPG/DHL to use the Northgate entrance, does this mean the speedway can continue for the duration?”

A spokesperson for AEPG said: “We have no further comment to make on this matter at the current time.”