Saving parking space with wheelie bin

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rachel W on June 28, 2013 at 15:16

There's not much else they can do if they need a skip I guess. We had one recently for a patio, couldn't be helped. At least it should only be short term.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Daniel Farnworth on June 28, 2013 at 16:08

They're supposed to have a license for the skip and also licenses for the materials stored on the street. Check Haringey website, it's got info on it all here: http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/environment_and_transport/roadsand...

Enforcement are a little slow sometimes, but if you get your local councillors involved they tend to speed up.

Talk to your neighbour first though. The licenses are expensive and in a lot of cases, people get stuff delivered and off the road quickly and don't bother getting a license which I suppose is fair enough and they won't mind you using some skip space (who doesn't have crap waiting to skip) in return for a couple of days turning a blind eye. Some are not so considerate though and leave it there for months... we had some like that next to us. Tossers, turn em in.

Dan

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Maddy on June 28, 2013 at 23:44

I've had a skip recently for some building work, and the company I hired it from organised the licence for me. The problem was trying to stop other people filling it with their rubbish before I could use it - not being mean, but I paid a quite lot to hire it. There were even some builders working two doors down who started dumping stuff in there - they should know better.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on June 29, 2013 at 1:06

A few years back Haringey, probably like many other local councils, saw raising skip licence fees as a way to generate more income.

I raised my concern that there could be an increase in the number of building firms/developers and individual householders and landlords who tried to save money by taking the risk of not applying for licences. And also those who ignored the rules e.g. about having the name and contact details of the skip hirers; covering skips at night etc. (All requirements clearly set out on the Council's webpage linked to by Daniel Farnworth.

I may have been wrong of course, and perhaps the fee increase did not act as a deterrent. And perhaps compliance with the rules has been maintained or even improved. I have no evidence either way and I don't know whether or not the Environment Department monitors the position. 

When I first became a councillor I did have a rough idea of how many skips were and were not licensed in my own ward. I was able to email and get an almost immediate response if, walking round the streets, I saw a skip which appeared to be breaking the rules. That's no longer the case.

I don't know if reporting skips breaking the rules was something done by the Volunteer Community wardens. If it wasn't, it seems like an appropriate task which might be added to such a scheme if it was ever relaunched. 

The purpose of skip licenses should not be to raise income or to make life harder for builders or residents. It's a public service to balance the legitimate need to use skips, with inconvenience and sometimes problems caused. For instance if people add rubbish to an uncovered skip; or overfill a skip so it spills on the roadway.

I'm interested to know how other HoL members see this balance.

(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DrWhams on July 2, 2013 at 16:52

Last time I moved house I looked into getting a parking bay suspension so the van could be parked outside the house. The council wanted something like £150 plus several weeks notice.  If you needed to 'reserve' the space near to your own house for a short period (and particularly if it's short notice, or you don't know the exact dates a month in advance) then surely it's not unreasonable to do this on a one-off basis?

Turn the tables: if you needed something large delivered, would you expect your neighbours to look kindly upon you rather than report you to the council because you didn't have a licence?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ian on July 6, 2013 at 12:34

There needs to be flexibility to allow people to conduct their lives without too much arduous stress if you need to organise parking space for a skip or special delivery at short notice. When I had a power outage at my home UK Network Power attended at short notice  with Vans and proceeded to park on yellow lines and dig up the pavement to affect repairs. I am sure no special parking was obtained at short notice unless they have a perpetual license to do work anywhere at will. Either way short notice parking is sometimes needed and individuals with a good reason should have equal rights to special parking needs as well as big business without having to give several weeks’ notice. If several weeks’ notice is needed, then such rules will inevitable  get broken due to rigidity of rules that are not in-line with normal life.

• ▶ Reply