Drivers and their problems

Police to use 'boy racer' deterrent at Malvern Shopping Park

The Link and Dyson safer neighbourhood policing team are trying to secure funding to install new signage around the Malvern Shopping Park.

Last month, Facebook users were complaining about a noisy car meet at the site, which has now prompted intervention from the police.

https://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/23738268.police-use-boy-racer-dete...

Disabled pensioner hit with £100 fine for parking 'one inch' outside bay

Amal Bafaqih has vowed to fight the matter in court

"The yellow box between me and the other car is clear - there's nothing. Yes, fair enough, I shouldn't go on the yellow line - but it is just an inch. And every driver is not going to carry a tape measure, get out of the car, and measure the distance between you and the yellow line. That's ridiculous."

I checked the photo with my wife, "is that more that an inch?" I asked her, and for once, she agreed that it was. 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/disabled-woman-hit-170-fin...

Cars damaged after transporter overturns on the A20 near Farningham

A video, posted by Ben Slipper, shows what appears to be among others, an Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo and an Audi in the transporter, as well as another luxury vehicle overturned on the road.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/luxury-sports-cars-damaged-af...

A tricksey bit of headlining (see picture), a Tory self-own and a Labour contradiction?

Tory leader [of opposition] questions motives behind Medway Council red-route plans

He has revealed the scheme was put forward as part of an annual council “star chamber” meeting where suggestions are made for ideas on reducing spending or increasing revenue.

[The Labour leader] said: “If the previous administration viewed red routes purely as a money-making scheme, that says a lot more about them than it does for Medway’s new Labour administration.

“We are getting on with delivering the things residents have told us they want to see in Medway, less congestion and cleaner air.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/red-route-plans-are-to-make-mon...

It's mainly Frothers United in the Letters column - just wanted to note that 

"Facing a cost-of-driving crisis

Although there is some time to go, from 2025, vehicle drivers from Kent will have to pay to leave the county."

is all about tolls on Thames river crossings. 

"travellers crossing the Thames both in and out of Kent will have to pay for the privilege." - yes, yes you will, drivers. 

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/opinion/motorists-will-have-to-pay-to-...

But, but I thought shop traders liked footfall, and even cars passing? Have I been misinformed? 

Seething Dartmouth trader fined as regatta visitors swamp town

The owner of an independent business in Dartmouth has blasted the impact of the town's annual regatta after he received a parking ticket. 

Barry Hemmings, owner of Shopdeadgorgeous on Foss Street, says the car park he would normally use when loading and unloading into his shop has been closed off for the event, prompting him to instead park on nearby Market Street. He claims he returned to his vehicle 10 minutes later to find he had been issued with a penalty charge notice (PCN).

A spokesperson for Devon County Council said: "Loading is considered a continuous activity and our parking team would have observed the vehicle, initially 20 minutes casual observation followed by five minutes constant observation. If no loading was seen we would have issued a Penalty Charge Notice. 

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/seething-dartmouth-trader-fine...

on-line isn't Barry's thing - https://www.shopdeadgorgeous.co.uk/pages/about-us

Ulez spells ‘end for modern classic car (Evening Standard) ’

Trevor from Hillingdon initially talks tough with his Harley but eventually 

“I’ll still ride my bike, I’ll just refuse to pay the charge and I’ll take it to a garage to make it Ulez compliant at the first opportunity.”

No time like the present,Trev. 

https://apple.news/A6zNjpAtmRKKmnvP4T6HRUw

What cars do to people: Driver attacks traffic warden in street with wooden pole

Police said a 41-year-old man was arrested and the incident was dealt with by a Community Resolution, which saw him pay for the victim's damaged earphones

In this case, it looks like white van man bit off more than he could chew. 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/driver-attacks-traffic-warden...

Nottingham personal trainer appeals 'ludicrous' park and ride fine after being clamped for parking overnight

NET said its rules are 'clearly displayed'

Mr Raeside complained that the signs were not clear enough to motorists. "The signs that I saw were quite big with lots of writing on, it's effectively small print," he added.

"I was convinced in the knowledge of being able to do it as I had for such a long time. They need to put better signage up or make people more aware."

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/nottingham-personal-...

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/hundreds-cars-clampe...

Avid cyclist alert

The people on the Welsh border 'confused' and 'frustrated' over how fast they're supposed to be driving

'It's going to be a nightmare for people to realise and remember' said one person of the different driving laws

Barry Watson (not the avid cyclist, he comes up later), who owns businesses with bases either side of the bridge including Chepstow Property Services and Wye Emporium, employs drivers who cross the border daily. “We travel it every day and the issue is the speed restrictions going up and down all the time,” he told WalesOnline from his Sedbury base.

“Why in the UK is there not a uniform rule for speed on default roads? It doesn’t make sense to me, and it’s particularly frustrating for people having to cross all the time. It suggests that one lot has got it wrong and the other is right, doesn’t it?

yes, Barry it does 

I wonder how much money the authorities in Wales will gain from the amount of people who are going to be fined because they’re so confused by it all, especially if they don't live in Wales."

Drivers are raving about this simple trick to avoid speeding fines 

“Even as a cyclist I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said of the new Wales policy. “Generally I think most drivers are very patient and forgiving and drive very appropriately beside me. I worry that all this will do is attempt to force drivers to slow down and some will be annoyed by that. Sometimes I’m cycling faster than the drivers. I would worry about drivers who are angry and frustrated.”

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/people-welsh-border-confus...

Who knew?? And there was me thinking it was well, I dunno anything but too many cars

Firefighters being slowed down by traffic says Kent Fire and Rescue Service director

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/firefighters-are-being-slowed-dow...

It's a nightmare to drive around the town

ST HELENS Council declared war on motorists a long time ago.

It’s a nightmare to drive around the town.

Lights, pelican crossings, so-called traffic calming temporary lights and roadworks everywhere, no parking everywhere.

Traffic wardens and even a two-hour limit for parking on the retail park... It’s pathetic.

This council have, over the years, turned our town centre into an eyesore concrete mess. It's nobody’s fault but theirs.

https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/yoursay/letters/23745291.nightmare-drive-...

Another driver writes

Decline of town centre comes from pedestrianisation

THE decline of St Helens town centre runs much deeper than parking - it comes from the pedestrianisation.

This pushes all big businesses to retail parks and the few businesses left in town struggle as the footfall of potential customers declines... Eventually they close.

Once closed, there is no revenue for the council and so there needs to be something in the building that will generate revenue again and the only viable option is a food outlet.

This is because you don’t have to go to them – they will deliver, there is no footfall needed here. 

Then there’s the people who work delivering the food. As demand increases, more delivery drivers are needed, which means more vehicles parked outside waiting for food so they can drop it off.

If the council wanted to truly regenerate this town, they would firstly reverse pedestrianisation of the town centre, allow vehicles back in, create more parking and put a limit on food outlets providing takeaways.

Yes, I know it creates jobs for drivers who deliver – but ultimately that’s all town will be in the end.

The last thing the town centre needs is knocking down and building accommodation and wine bars. Apparently, we need a new bigger bus station? Why? I can’t see people flocking here to go shopping; most of the bus services have been reduced or some just discontinued.

Get the conditions right and the town centre will thrive into the bustling place it used to be, pre-retail parks and pre-pedestrianisation.

These are two massive factors in the decline of the town centre.

Devastated dog owner fined £200 by 'jobsworth cops' for not wearing seatbelt while desperately searching for missing pet

Sonny Chambers was searching for his missing dog Penny when he was pulled over by police

Sonny, from Portsmouth, said: "I was in Nottingham for the weekend and I left Penny with a friend. As soon as I found out she was missing I drove straight home. I was sick to my stomach. I couldn't talk. It was a four-hour drive.

"The minute I pulled up, I went out looking for her and shone my torch out of the window. The police pulled me over and asked what I was doing so I explained what happened and they fined me £200."

https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/devastated-dog...

"Wales' largest modified and performance car show"

Friends abandon journey four hours in and head home again after seeing complete gridlock on major west Wales route

There have been massive queues near Carmarthen with people said to be facing a two-hour wait to enter a Cruise Culture car show at Carmarthen Showground, and heavy traffic heading to west Wales

Billed as "Wales' largest modified and performance car show", there was said to be a two hour wait to get into the showground on Sunday afternoon. 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/friends-abandon-journey-fo...

What cars do to people - Assaults on Herefordshire traffic wardens revealed

There were six physical and 11 verbal assaults on wardens, now officially known as
civil enforcement officers (CEOs), in the financial year up to this April, according to a freedom of information response by Herefordshire Council.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/23743224.extent-assaults-herefordshir...

Both the Birmingham Mail and me stretching things a bit here, but this is the time of year that returning travellers' tales are told, "oh, David we found this darling little place outside Arrezzo, simply adorable, you'd love it" and guess what, it will turn out to be some little town or village that has solved its traffic problems, has a car lite central square and lots of little alleyways with restaurants and tavernas "and the best of it was we seemed to be the only tourists there. Here, I've got some photos..."

I might venture that it all looks very nice, and wouldn't it be great if we did the same? 

Anyway, delightful Petworth, Sussex - in reality, yet another quaint old place spoiled by cars, but maybe the seductive appeal of the photo will appeal to Brummies who know they want something nicer in their life, but can't quite put their finger on what it is.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/most-underrated-...

Somerset villagers try to ban non-residents from driving through

Sounds like you guys want an LTN? 

"...councillor Oliver Patrick shared a message with thousands of local residents on social media claiming that "enough was enough" and non-residents had been barred from driving through the narrow lanes of Hardington..."

" 'Somerset Highways has restricted access into Hardington to 'residents only'. If you ignore these signs, continue to cut through Hardington without a legitimate reason, and are involved in a collision, then your insurance may not cover you.' "

"a spokesman for Somerset Council said: "The council is trying to restrict access to non-residents by appealing to the better nature of road users with the use of advisory signs."

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/somerset-villagers-try...

Another media "cyclist lucky to be alive" focus / reframing and the story of the driver doing a hit & run not developed. 

Helmet credited with saving doctor's life after crash

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/23748090.helmet-credited-saving-d...

PS The cycling mayor isn't an official appointment, but I can see him ending up not pleasing anyone here - the BE are in sensitive mode at present when the comments get out of hand as they invariably do whenever he, cycling or speed cameras or e-scooters come up, otherwise I'd have told him where he can stick his "opinion" (even though in practice I follow it). 

"Derek Heritage, Bournemouth’s recently appointed ‘cycling mayor’, said: “My opinion is that cyclists should always wear a helmet. I have two close friends who were involved in accidents and believe they could have died had they not been wearing them."

Tell me again about that dangerous, flammable e-scooter. One month's worth of "car bursts into flames" uk news stories: 
 

The three major changes a transport expert says the Welsh Government should have made to its 20mph rollout

The transport expert has raised concerns about the impact of the Welsh Government's new default 20mph speed limit

Transport expert : Professor Stuart Cole CBE, an Emeritus Professor of Transport Economics and Policy, University of South Wales (it usually turns out to be guff put out by a medium-sized fleet hire company or an obscure trade rag with a name like Motaquest).

His points:

• Welsh Government's objectives were "appropriate" (a concern?)
• start off in urban areas where most casualties, etc occur 
• the government should have introduced bus priority measures to accompany the scheme

Overnight road closures in Gloucester 'make thousands of residents hostages in their own home'

More than a mile stretch of road will be closed overnight while road works are underway on the A430 Secunda Way in Hempsted

David Bucknell said: “We are now faced with over three weeks of Secunda Way being closed each night. With little or no provision for 4,000 residents who will be made hostages in their own homes by highways.

“Work is being undertaken at night to minimise disruption. For safety reasons we cannot allow vehicle access through the site during the overnight closure when work is going on, but we are working on ways to allow some essential access for residents living within the closure when safe and practical.

“A diversion route is in place throughout the works and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.”

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/overnight-roa...