Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Lorries using the ladder as a shortcut - action plan
After yet another frustrating Friday stopping lorries and skip trucks (and one coach!) who hurl abuse at me, lie to me and in the case of the coach driver try to punch me, I texted my local agony aunt, the SNT cellphone number. I got a call back from Jono who left me a very long message detailing exactly what was happening on that front:
If you see a lorry using a ladder road as a cut through, please do use your super powers to get the registration number and name of the company (I realise this is hard to do but give it a shot). Send a letter to the transport manager of that company laying out the details of what happened (when, where, registration) and cc both Jono Clay-Michael at the Harringay Safer Neighbourhood team and Rob Curtis at the Haringey Council Heavy Enforcement team (why there is not just one for London I do not know). Jono will take the matter up with Rob as technically the council are responsible for the enforcement of these limits. If we can show that there is a special problem in this area (and I believe there is) then the SNT will be given executive authority to enforce them.
O'Donovan's used to be a very big problem on Lausanne Rd and I took this up on more than one occasion with their manager (big lists of visits and registrations) and he put a note in the drivers pay slips and they've been saints by comparison since. Now this was easier for me because it was the same trucks from the same firm every day but I'd really like it if we at least gave this a crack. If it proves too difficult to get registration numbers at least send the letter anyway indicating time and place.
It would be much less work if we had emails for the people involved:
If you see a lorry using a ladder road as a cut through, please do use your super powers to get the registration number and name of the company (I realise this is hard to do but give it a shot). Send a letter to the transport manager of that company laying out the details of what happened (when, where, registration) and cc both Jono Clay-Michael at the Harringay Safer Neighbourhood team and Rob Curtis at the Haringey Council Heavy Enforcement team (why there is not just one for London I do not know). Jono will take the matter up with Rob as technically the council are responsible for the enforcement of these limits. If we can show that there is a special problem in this area (and I believe there is) then the SNT will be given executive authority to enforce them.
O'Donovan's used to be a very big problem on Lausanne Rd and I took this up on more than one occasion with their manager (big lists of visits and registrations) and he put a note in the drivers pay slips and they've been saints by comparison since. Now this was easier for me because it was the same trucks from the same firm every day but I'd really like it if we at least gave this a crack. If it proves too difficult to get registration numbers at least send the letter anyway indicating time and place.
It would be much less work if we had emails for the people involved:
Tags for Forum Posts: 7.5t, Wightman Road, hgv, lorries, traffic
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
-
I assume you've already emailed this information to Niall Bolger, Director of Urban Environment (copy to Cllr Nilgun Canver.) I'm sure both will agree that local councils and their contractors are not above the law.
And would you please post Mr Bolger's reply on HoL.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
-
Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
-
This is most important. I have therefore put in a Council member's enquiry to Mr. Bolger and copied it to my fellow ward councillors Karen Alexader and Gina Adamou, as well as to Cllr. Nilgun Canver.
In my enquiry I have copied your posting and asked the following:
1. Is it accepted that the aforementioned vehicle took the route which is alleged?
2. If yes, what was the reason for this? In particular, did any "except for access" exemption apply? If so, please supply details.
3. Is it accepted that the vehicle was driven at a speed which caused the car on top to bounce?
4. If any of the above allegations are not accepted, whom should an interested person approach for the purpose of making a statement?
5. Will any instructions be given to the drivers of council vehicles with regard to the need to observe speed and weight restrictions on the Harringay Ladder, and will a briefing be given to those drivers as to what those restrictions are?
6. Is any disciplinary action under consideration?
Of course, the fact that I have put in an enquiry should not stop you from doing the same, as Cllr Stanton quite rightly suggests.
David Schmitz
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward
-
Permalink Reply by John D on
-
OOPS !
From Ann Cunningham
" Thank you for your email. I have investigated this matter further and it would appear that this removal truck does not belong to our removal contractor. Ontime parking Solutions have confirmed that this registration number does not belong to their fleet. "
Apologies to Ontime and thanks to Ann for speedy response. Unfortunately the pictures do not identify the owners of the truck.
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
It doesn't exactly say "Madam, that soldier is not in my army but I am sorry for the loss of your chickens", does it?
-
-
No problem at all.
I've now written to the relevant department to ask them to disregard my queries, but have suggested that they contact the owner of the lorry in order to seek an assurance that its drivers be instructed on the detail of the speed and weight restrictions and on the need to observe them.
David Schmitz
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Harringay Ward
-
Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on
-
Good point. I think I brought this up in a previous post- John seems to know his trucks. How do we know what is 7.5t and what is not, anyone got a good rule of thumb?
I have been watching the traffic down Pemberton recently as Cllr Gina Adamou came knocking on doors in our road (I meant to post something on this to say how glad I was a councillor was paying an active interest on a Sunday in a non-election period). I mentioned the speed of vehicles down the road, and a rule of thumb would be that anything bigger than a car pretty much takes the raised crossing at speed. Especially bigger vehicles, and bin wagons that simply ride over the bumps like a minor irritation (shaking houses to pieces in the process- but I digress to another thread).
The problem with catching information about trucks etc using the ladder roads is literally you have to be there to get it, usually the first sign of one crashing down the road is the house shaking, too late for me to get out and get a number.
What chance we could have some temporary CCTV placed on some roads to catch lorries doing this?
On another wider point about enforcement. The problem really is that the level of fines for this and all the other things the council have to police (but often chose not to police as actively as we would like) seems to be that they cost money. The actual cost of enforcement is not fully recoverable in the fines paid. Correct me if I am wrong, but really, should we not have a system where the council can recover full cost of the enforcement process, and then have the ability to slap a fine on someone without it having to go to court? When things like this become self funding and not a drain on the rest of us in this world of increasingly finite budgets and resources I suspect a whole lot of things that should be policed and enforced might actually be... OK, rant over.
-
-
A truck 7.5 T and over will have panels on the rear striped yellow / red.
Some other vehicles wwill have similar stripes to make them visible so it's not always clear.
-
-
Perfect. Thanks
-
-
" when turning right into wightman road from turnpike lane I did not see any no access signs "
There is one, actually. just in front of the green block of flats. Not very well sited.
-
-
I think this is a fair point. On the second photo I can see at least 6 separate road signs for a driver to be aware of and take head of. All on the wrong side of the road if you are turning right into Wightman. Not sure what is on the right as you run up to the right turn.
On the first photo showing the actual sign, I have been looking for it too, and until I saw this I had not spotted it- and I am looking for it (I assume the small sign highlighted in the photo is what you are pointing us too?).
The proliferation of road signs, and the fact that the one you highlight actually looks like a parking restrictions sign that is hidden to your left as you are looking right into a turn... Drivers cannot be blamed for not seeing it (much as I would like to blame them). I think there needs to be something a bit more clear on the lead up to the turn.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- Next ›
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
