Banned Trucker Sparks Chaos in Colchester’s Historic Dutch Quarter
A banned driver caused chaos in Colchester’s city centre after ignoring warnings and crashing an articulated lorry into several Grade II listed buildings. Cornel Lihu, 56, should never have been behind the wheel.
Stuck Lorry Brings Historic Lanes to a Standstill
Lihu blundered into the narrow medieval streets of the Dutch Quarter, ignoring a clear width restriction sign at the junction of St Helen’s Lane and East 123. The huge lorry got hopelessly stuck, blocking the route for hours from the afternoon of July 13 right through to the next morning.
The delivery driver from Purfleet admitted he was suspended from driving and uninsured at the time. On top of that, he pleaded guilty to careless driving.
Community Service and Tough Punishment
The court handed Lihu a 120-hour community service sentence and slapped six penalty points on his driving licence. He was also ordered to pay £219 in costs and surcharges.
Calls for Tougher Enforcement After Repeat Incidents
Castle ward councillor Mark Goacher blasted the reckless behaviour. “When you see the size of that lorry, you wonder what was going on in his brain,” he said. “There’s a real problem with drivers blindly trusting sat-navs and switching their brains off.”
Goacher called for stricter regulations on HGV access in the city centre. “These massive vehicles should not be squeezing down the tiny lanes of the Dutch Quarter. They pose a serious risk of damage.”
The issue is far from new. Similar crashes happened three times in just a month back in 2012, and again in 2018 when St Helen’s Lane was closed after another accident.
M&S Distance Themselves From Scandal
An M&S spokesman apologised to locals but stressed the driver was not their employee. “The service provider did not follow our strict procedures,” they said. “We investigated thoroughly and made it clear it will not happen again.”
