A635 Hickleton: Residents of Yorkshire estate village win fight for traffic calming measures that has been waged since the 1920s

On Thursday (21 September) councillors agreed to pass a motion to explore a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) on the A635 in Hickleton.

TROs can include restrictions for vehicles that pass by the affected road on factors such as size, types of vehicles allowed, speed and movement.

The motion was proposed by ward councillor Glenn Bluff, who has campaigned for several years to ban HGVs on the road.

He escalated calls for regulations after a man was killed after being struck by a lorry on the road in August.

Coun Bluff proposed an Experimental TRO, which would allow regulations to be tested on the road before a full order is passed to test how they would work in practice.

During the meeting, Coun Sarah Smith proposed instead that a permanent TRO is passed.

This type of order requires a period of consultation with local officials as well as advertisement to residents before it can be implemented.

Coun. Smith said: “As person who is passionate about reducing air pollution, I absolutely understand the thought behind this motion.

“However, my concern would be that we would simply be moving the problem to other roads and areas within the north of Doncaster including the Adwick and Carcroft ward, specifically the Woodlands and Adwick area – as stated in the original motion.

“You will see before you proposed alterations to the motion, primarily to ensure that as a council we follow due process and engage with South Yorkshire Police and National Highways as to whether a TRO would be supported in the first instance.

“This is the most appropriate and efficient use of the limited council resources available to us.”

Councillors approved the amended motion which includes resolve from the council to consult with several parties including the police, emergency services, residents and National Highways.

The council also resolved to explore an Environmental Weight Restriction Order within this, to place a limit on the weight of vehicles that can pass through the road.

The A635 through Hickleton and Marr is heavily used by HGVs as a route between the A1(M) at Doncaster and the industrial estates in the Barnsley area.

There were calls for a bypass to be built around the village as far back as the 1920s, when Hickleton Hall and the surrounding estate were owned by the Earls of Halifax, who were petitioned by their tenants to support the proposal. The family sold the hall after World War Two but retain farmland in the area.