COUNCILS are calling for new powers to combat lorry drivers who cause chaos in rural communities.

The Local Government Association said incidents of reckless driving were causing disruption to rural communities and putting lives at risk.

It follows a series of incidents involving heavy goods vehicles in villages and small communities.

In Devon, a lorry driver was been banned after he got lost in a small village and crashed into four cottages and partially demolished a historic bridge.

In Hertfordshire, an articulated lorry wedged across a tight three-way rural junction between two high hedges in the village of Watton-at-Stone, near Stevenage.

Local authorities up and down the country are taking lorry drivers who ignore weight restrictions in rural communities to court whenever possible.

But the councils claim they are being hampered by a system that is expensive, time-consuming and bureaucratic.

In Northamptonshire, a village was closed after a container was knocked clean off the back of a lorry under a low bridge.

And lorry drivers in Oxfordshire have been fined for breaking weight restrictions on the county's roads.

Councils say magistrates' courts are being clogged up with work that could be done more cheaply and effectively if councils had civil enforcement powers to issue fines themselves.

Police have this power but their resources are often stretched in rural areas.

Any surplus from fines after meeting enforcement costs could be used by councils towards tackling the nation's £12bn pothole backlog, said LGA transport spokesman Peter Box.

"The actions of a minority of reckless lorry drivers inflicted on rural communities underline the need for councils to be given proper powers to deal with this increasing problem.

"If these drivers know they will face fines they will think twice about such selfish and irresponsible behaviour.

Councils were doing everything they can to help their residents by taking rogue lorry drivers to court, said councillor Box.

But he added: "It is a time-consuming, costly and bureaucratic process and there is no guarantee councils will even be able to recoup their prosecution costs."

The councils want a streamlined system which allows them to fine lorry drivers who persistently blight communities. Councils want to be able to respond to their residents' concerns.

"We would stress that most lorry drivers are reputable and drive responsibly," said councillor Box.

"These powers would be targeted at the minority who do not follow the law and drag the rest of the sector down.

"This is also about protecting the drivers' safety as well as the safety of residents and other road users."