Lorries will be banned from a major road in Yate, despite police saying they could not realistically enforce a weight restriction.

Moves to keep heavy goods vehicles out of Station Road were included in a transport programme two years ago.

People living in the area, as well as local councillors, supported the proposal because of the high number of pedestrians who use the road and needed to cross it to get to shops, community buildings and play areas.

But South Gloucestershire Council had another look at the idea after police said they could not support a weight limit. They claimed such restrictions were difficult to enforce in an area where there were so many businesses and as such were a low priority.

The council was considering abandoning the idea but is now going to stick to its original plan after a traffic count showed a high number of HGVs were using Station Road as a through-route.

Yate councillors also lobbied South Gloucestershire, saying Station Road residents had campaigned to keep lorries out of their street for many years.

Station Road is one of three roads in Yate that will be subject to a 7.5-tonne weight restriction in the programme.

No objections had been received for the schemes for Cranleigh Court Road and Church Road and they were set to go ahead anyway.

Peter Jackson, South Gloucestershire's director of planning and transport, said there were an increasing number of lorries being driven on unsuitable roads in the town, with noise and pollution affecting householders.

The three roads that will be subject to the ban were predominantly residential and the proposal is to divert lorries onto an alternative route along Stover Road, Iron Acton Way, Goose Green Way, Link Road and Kennedy Way.

Yate councillor Mike Drew had strongly opposed any move to drop Station Road from the ban.

He said: "There is a very high level of pedestrian traffic across Station Road from the Cranleigh Court area and a high percentage of that traffic is by the vulnerable – the elderly, disabled and children."

Councillor Ruth Davis said: "This is a major road into Yate that suffers from constant traffic congestion. There are major concerns about road safety and air pollution."

Councillor Ian Blair said Yate residents had wanted a lorry ban for a long time.

He said: "It is a sad reflection on our society that the fact that enforcement will be difficult is the major consideration for not doing something.

"There may well be some lorries that ignore the weight restriction but I believe the majority would not."

The ban will give an exemption to HGV drivers who are delivering to businesses in Station Road.