A VILLAGE granted “Quiet Lane” status continues to be treated as a rat run for lorries, residents claim.

Magdale’s Department of Transport designation in September 2008 was intended to discourage speeding through traffic in the tiny Honley hamlet and deter heavy goods vehicles from entering the area.

The department agreed that the village’s size and visual amenity warranted a 20mph speed limit and three-tonne weight limit.

Residents originally took to the streets in protest to secure the change, but as this picture from Tuesday reveals, it continues to be used by massive lorries and now Kirklees Council is being asked to take further action.

Magdale’s Alan Brooke said: “Kirklees Council claims that the heavy vehicle problem has been solved, but there are still three or four heavy lorries a week flouting the weight limit.

“This was imposed not only because the road is narrow but also because the road is subsiding.

“The police are not interested and have told us they will not intervene unless someone is injured.

“We don’t want to wait until a lorry rolls into Magdale dam and someone is hurt.

“There will always be some idiot following a sat nav using the road but if Kirklees’ signage was more explicit some may be deterred.”

The driver of the vehicle in the picture who ended up stuck in the village said he had got lost.

Mr Brooke added: “At present it says vehicles over three tonnes are prohibited except for access.

“We say it should clearly say ‘No Through Road’ for heavy vehicles.

“This is a conservation area with important listed buildings such as Honley’s first Sunday school, it is only a matter of time before serious damage is done.”

A spokesman for Kirklees Council said: “Nationally, quiet lanes have never been a means of banning or significantly calming traffic – they promote persuasion rather than being a form of enforcement.

“Detailed analysis of the Magdale scheme showed that both traffic speed and the number of vehicles had reduced, including a 90 per cent drop in the number of HGVs.

“Also, only one slight injury accident has been recorded since the quiet lane was introduced, and this was attributed to driver error.

“At the same time, we are working with the police to look at enforcement of the HGV restrictions.

“We cannot introduce further measures at this stage as the council has to invest resources in the areas of highest risk.”