A LISTED bridge regularly damaged by lorries may be protected by bollards to restrict vehicle access.

The grade II listed Blakey Bridge, near Thirsk, has sustained over 30,000 of damage mainly from lorries in the last 15 years.

The bridge which links Sowerby to the A19 is accessed by a narrow road with sharp bends.

It is closed at present while North Yorkshire County Council repairs the damage from the last crash.

Locals are keen to see it protected and nearly 100 people attended a public meeting to discuss the issue.

One idea raised was for Sat Nav creators to take the route off their systems.

The idea has been raised before when one operator said it would change its Sat Nav system to warn drivers of the bridge.

But Eddy Hayward, area manager for highways in Thirsk, said: "We have spoken to Sat Nav makers and asked them to take the route off their system but the plea falls on stoney ground.

"Some drivers have misunderstood the severity of the bridge but we have tried to stop them by putting a chicane in near the A19 junction.

"But we need to do whatever is necessary to stop the bridge being damaged.

"Most lorries are quite wide so putting something in to restrict the width of vehicles along there may work."

Sowerby Parish Council chairman Councillor Mark Robson said: "We can put signs and notices up but some drivers will ignore them and try to cross the bridge anyway.

"We need a permanent solution to this problem and putting bollards up to stop lorries seems a popular idea.

"It's now up to the county council to work with us to come back with the answer to resolve this."

The problem is made worse as farm traffic needs to have access to fields close to the bridge.

But parish councillor Don Cartridge suggested closing the road permanently.

"A radical solution would be to close the bridge altogether and put bollards up to stop all traffic over the bridge," he said.

"It was a country lane and it may be wishful thinking but could it not go back to being that?"

The majority of residents at the meeting voted against closing the road permanently to traffic.