Banned Trucker Sparks Chaos in Colchester’s Historic Dutch Quarter
A banned lorry driver caused mayhem in Colchester’s city centre, getting his giant truck stuck for hours—and he shouldn’t have been behind the wheel in the first place.
Lorry Crashes into Grade II Listed Buildings
Cornel Lihu, 56, was driving a massive articulated lorry through the tight medieval lanes of the Dutch Quarter. Despite clear width restriction signs, the Marks & Spencer delivery driver ignored warnings and ploughed ahead.
He became jammed at the crossroads of St Helen’s Lane and East Stockwell Street, bulldging into multiple Grade II listed buildings in the process. The truck was left stuck overnight on July 13, causing chaos for local traffic well into the next day.
Banned, Uninsured and Careless
At Colchester Magistrates’ Court, Lihu admitted he was banned from driving and uninsured at the time. He also pleaded guilty to careless driving.
The Purfleet man was slapped with 120 hours of community service, six penalty points on his licence, and ordered to pay £219 in costs and fines.
Councillor Demands Tougher Rules After Repeat Mishaps
Castle ward councillor Mark Goacher slammed the “sheer lack of common sense” behind the incident. “With a truck that size, you have to wonder what was going on in his brain,” he said.
“There’s a culture of blindly following sat-navs that switches off drivers’ brains,” he added. “We need to rethink delivery routes and improve signage. These huge lorries don’t belong on the narrow streets of the Dutch Quarter—they risk serious damage.”
The tight lanes leading to High Street have a history of similar crashes, with several incidents in 2012 and 2018 forcing road closures.
M&S Apologises for Driver’s Blunder
An M&S spokesman said: “The driver was not an M&S employee, and the service provider failed to follow our strict procedures. We apologise to local residents for any damage and disruption caused.”
They confirmed an internal probe was launched, with the delivery firm warned to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
