NEARLY 2,000 people have signed a petition against lorries in a Hampshire market town.

Trucked Off was formed to battle the HGVs rumbling through Alresford and surrounding villages, mainly going to and from the watercress farms and packing plants near Old Alresford.

Last summer two lorries got stuck on The Soke at the bottom of Broad Street in Alresford, damaging one of the houses.

Jan Field, chairman of the Alresford Society, told the town council that the online petition has attracted strong support.

The problem has been getting steadily worse, with more than 160 different lorry companies going through. Campaigners say the HGVs don’t have to be that big as the foodstuffs inside travel not just to Old Alresford but on to other sites, too.

They want controls similar to London where vehicles larger than 18 tonnes are banned after 10pm.

The petition will be presented to a full meeting of Hampshire County Council on Thursday.

Ms Field said: “Trucked Off is asking the county council to review the heavy through traffic in the town and local villages and come up with an effective traffic management plan. Diverting traffic on to other country roads is not the answer but doing nothing is unsustainable.”