A SMALL majority of residents are in favour of a controversial traffic experiment which has seen HGVs diverted through a village.

People living along the A350 and C13 between Blandford and Shaftesbury were asked for opinions on proposals to improve the two routes.

In an effort to reduce congestion, highways chiefs at Dorset County Council put up signs directing southbound HGVs to use the narrow C13 road in Melbury Abbas instead of the main A350 Shaftesbury-Blandford road which runs parallel to it.

Northbound HGVs remain unaffected and the idea is to create an unofficial one-way system for lorries. It is part of a £2.5m strategy to improve the A350.

Melbury Abbas has been blighted by traffic jams due to the proposals – it is getting blocked up to 20 times a week according to locals.

The Echo reported in July how an ambulance on a blue-light call got stuck in the village when it met an oncoming HGV.

The two vehicles attempted to pass each other but ended up getting wedged in a tight space.

In June, Dorset County Council held two exhibitions for locals to review the initial design proposals of the improvement scheme, ask questions and leave feedback, with the plans and survey also available online.

The authority said 54 per cent were in favour of the voluntary one way system currently in place.

Any decision on the issue of HGV routing will need approval from cabinet, which is likely to be considered in November.

For more information visit dorsetforyou.gov.uk/A350-C13-improvements