MOVES have started to delete Ludlow's medieval Broadgate from satellite navigation systems that direct heavy lorries through the town.

Last year Broadgate was closed for four months for vital repairs caused by salt spray and collisions with lorries unable to pass through the arch.

The final crisis occurred when a lorry carrying tilting gear tried to go through, damaging the arch and the building above. Since it reopened there have been at least two minor hits from box vans.

Colin Richards, conservation officer for South Shropshire District Council, blamed navigation systems. "They carry a lot of outdated information. Some don't recognise that Ludlow has a bypass," he said.

"We've got this information and we rely on it but if the information is flawed, it causes problems."

Hugh Dannatt, the county's group engineer for traffic strategy, said his department was talking to navigation companies about correcting their routes through Shropshire.

Ludlow's roads are the responsibility of Shropshire County Council, which is considering a number of ways of protecting Broadgate from further damage.

These include additional signs, additional lighting and restrictions on width and height of vehicles going through the arch.

Another idea being put forward is a road hump that will not only slow traffic down but will help send salty water down proper drains instead of splashing on the arch's interior.

One possibility that has been ruled out is placing bollards north of the arch because those would cause problems for vehicles coming out of the narrow Silk Mill Lane.

"The trouble is that Broadgate was built to defend against invaders and it's now trying to do something different," said Mr Dannatt.