Unsuitable for HGVs - so why?
Discussion
Here's a rant which has been bugging me ever since I moved to this place.
If a road is marked Unsuitable for HGVs, is it legal for HGVs to then use the said road, or is this just an advisory? The reason I ask is because the road past my cul-de-sac is labelled Unsuitable for HGVs - presumably because it narrows to one HGV's width at one end - and yet loads of trucks use it. It's particularly good fun to try and walk down it when two trucks meet each other and try to pass.
So why do they do it when the signs say don't? (I think I know the answer to that one already...) And is there anything that can be done? The local council isn't interested - and I doubt they'll be canvassing on my doorstep again for some time!!
Just wondering...
If a road is marked Unsuitable for HGVs, is it legal for HGVs to then use the said road, or is this just an advisory? The reason I ask is because the road past my cul-de-sac is labelled Unsuitable for HGVs - presumably because it narrows to one HGV's width at one end - and yet loads of trucks use it. It's particularly good fun to try and walk down it when two trucks meet each other and try to pass.
So why do they do it when the signs say don't? (I think I know the answer to that one already...) And is there anything that can be done? The local council isn't interested - and I doubt they'll be canvassing on my doorstep again for some time!!
Just wondering...
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The local council isn't interested - and I doubt they'll be canvassing on my doorstep again for some time!!
Tried contacting your councillor, rather than the officials? Or vice versa? Usually one is more effcetive than the other.
Especially if you let slip that your next appointment is to discuss the situation with the local paper / leader of the council opposition / MP
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You must have a short cut in your road,
Yes, it cuts about 3 miles off the long way round.
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also what is a HGV/LGV? If I was a driver and I was in a 7.5 tonne truck (can be driven on a car licence)and I saw that sign I would think "Hey, I am not a HGV its ok for me to go through it"
These are big guys - artics, the big motorway maintenance trucks, etc. Plus the 7.5 tonners and smaller, but they're not really the problem. The big problem is the guys with the huge, heavy machinery that belt through the 30 limit at 40-50 and then have to pull up hard as they reach the narrow bit in case someone is coming the other way.
Oh, and a numpty with bottle-bottom specs driving a Volvo who pushed me into the pavement broken by the trucks so I blew out a tyre. Git.
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Tried contacting your councillor, rather than the officials? Or vice versa? Usually one is more effcetive than the other.
When these guys were canvassing for the local elections, they were banging on about how they were trying to get trucks through the village (half a mile away) diverted. I asked nicely why they didn't sort out the trucks down the narrow road first before someone was killed - they ignored the question.
Shame for the biker killed there the other week.
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Especially if you let slip that your next appointment is to discuss the situation with the local paper / leader of the council opposition / MP
Now there's a thought....
quote:You know, Mungo, I bet that it's only take two blokes to push a caravan over on its side
Slightly off topic to you SGirl but vaguely keeping on thread, there is a numpty with a LR Disco and a MASSIVE bohemouth caravan who consistently parks up right opposite the junction at my house meaning you have to be exceptionally careful when pulling out or going past when on the road that you don't head on with someone coming out of my road. There'll be an accident there one day and it will be all his fault!! Rant over.
Start making noises about wanting an 'environmental weight restriction' to local highway authority/councillors.
If an unsuitable road is being used as a rat-run this should be what you need. It's a legal Order meaning that when the required signs are put it is legally binding and some kind of offence to ignore it.
Cheers, Phil
If an unsuitable road is being used as a rat-run this should be what you need. It's a legal Order meaning that when the required signs are put it is legally binding and some kind of offence to ignore it.
Cheers, Phil
I came close to being 6ft under on friday after a tw@t in a skip lorry decided to use a narrow country lane to cut through the lane has signs at each end saying no hgv's but this tw@t continued to use it i confronted the owner of the firm today who couldnt give a toss and also said i could do nothing about it 
the bloke in the lorry had better hope he dosent cross my path again
the bloke in the lorry had better hope he dosent cross my path again quote:
the bloke in the lorry had better hope he dosent cross my path again
Unless he's in his truck.
Know what you mean, though - many's the time I've been squashed up flat again the wall on the road in question as two trucks have tried to squeeze past one another. Your life doesn't half flash before you, I can tell you! Especially where wing mirrors are involved - ouch!
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Especially where wing mirrors are involved - ouch!
Tell me about it , Ive got stitches from being hit on the head by a lorry from a few years back , the bloke didnt even stop and i shattered the mirror
Dorset born
Dorset bred
Thick in the arms
and thick in the head
>> Edited by dennisthemenace on Tuesday 10th September 17:41
Dennis-t-m. That may have been me About fifteen years ago I was driving along the Holborne(sp?) in London when this guy stood on an island in the middle of the road with about 20 other pedestrians decides to stick his head out to see if any traffic was coming. There was, me in a ruddy big truck, but he was looking the wrong way and my mirror whacked him right in the back of the head! OUCH....... Made me laugh so much I nearly stopped!
About fifteen years ago I was driving along the Holborne(sp?) in London when this guy stood on an island in the middle of the road with about 20 other pedestrians decides to stick his head out to see if any traffic was coming. There was, me in a ruddy big truck, but he was looking the wrong way and my mirror whacked him right in the back of the head! OUCH....... Made me laugh so much I nearly stopped!Signs that state a public highway is "Unsuitable for HGV's" are purely advisory. Weight limits, i.e 7.5or 4 ton are mandatory, but have exeptions for access. Most weight limits are very poorly policed, due I suspect to the police having more important things to do, and overweight vehicles can often justify their use of the road at a particular time, therefore the police seem uninterested in persuing offenders. A better way to combat this problem is, I feel, to target the haulage companies themselves, this may in your case actually be a company who opperate a quarry or such like and use the services of Sub contractors to supply their haulage needs. If this is the case, you are in a much stronger position. If you were to contact the main company and make your protest known, I am sure that your greivence would be well recieved, as keeping the local population happy and on side, is in the interests of the company, and their haulage supplier having to travel an extra 3 miles per journey would prove to be of little conciquence. Once a memorandum, to the effect of prohibition on a certain strech of road has been circulated to the sub contract hauliers, you would find that the amount of problematic traffic would decrease dramaticaly, as not one of them would wish to run foul of their paymasters decree. All this is achivable, but do you have the time to spend organising it, or do you actually have a life?
>> Edited by simonelite501 on Tuesday 10th September 22:26
>> Edited by simonelite501 on Tuesday 10th September 22:26
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A better way to combat this problem is, I feel, to target the haulage companies themselves, this may in your case actually be a company who opperate a quarry or such like and use the services of Sub contractors to supply their haulage needs. If this is the case, you are in a much stronger position.
Sadly, this isn't the case. There's a trading estate a few miles down the road and most of the trucks are heading into or out of that. And while some are "repeat offenders", a lot of them don't seem to actually belong to companies on the estate, although I presume they're delivering to companies there.
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All this is achivable, but you have the time to spend organising it, or do you actually have a life?
Ah, that is the question.
Maybe a mailshot to every company on the estate? Shouldn't take long to do, and for the cost of a few dozen second class stamps it might be worth a shot. Hm, got me thinking now... Thanks for that! Sadly, this isn't the case. There's a trading estate a few miles down the road and most of the trucks are heading into or out of that. And while some are "repeat offenders", a lot of them don't seem to actually belong to companies on the estate, although I presume they're delivering to companies there.
The problem you will have is that of access to the Trading estate, this is a totally aceptable exemption, weather the road is marked as "Unsuitable for HGV's or has a 4 ton weight limit. Sorry.
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Dennis-t-m. That may have been me
Nah wasnt you this was about 2and a half years ago in somerset when i started GPS surveying made my eyes wobble
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The problem you will have is that of access to the Trading estate, this is a totally aceptable exemption, weather the road is marked as "Unsuitable for HGV's or has a 4 ton weight limit. Sorry.
Really? When there are perfectly good main routes to the estate from two directions which don't involve the narrow road at all? The trading estate isn't directly down the narrow road, it's several junctions away and the route for HGVs is clearly marked even though most choose to ignore the signs.
Got me worried now...
As far as I know Sgirl that's exactly the type of situation leading to the placing of a restriction, not a reason for excemption...
Ring your local council Highways Dept (there may be an 'area office') and ask (politely) some questions... you may need to speak to the Highways 'client side' or something.
(I say politely 'cos usually when they 'the public' ring council offices they are complaining and/or abusive. After all they pay the wages so are entitled to abuse the staff. Rarely does anybody ring and say 'thanks' or 'nice job'. oops, rant over
)
Cheers, Phil
Ring your local council Highways Dept (there may be an 'area office') and ask (politely) some questions... you may need to speak to the Highways 'client side' or something.
(I say politely 'cos usually when they 'the public' ring council offices they are complaining and/or abusive. After all they pay the wages so are entitled to abuse the staff. Rarely does anybody ring and say 'thanks' or 'nice job'. oops, rant over
) Cheers, Phil
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The problem you will have is that of access to the Trading estate, this is a totally aceptable exemption, weather the road is marked as "Unsuitable for HGV's or has a 4 ton weight limit. Sorry.
Really? When there are perfectly good main routes to the estate from two directions which don't involve the narrow road at all? The trading estate isn't directly down the narrow road, it's several junctions away and the route for HGVs is clearly marked even though most choose to ignore the signs.
Got me worried now...
Ah! I see, in that case yes, you are quite right. Your post before the one above lead me to believe that the Trading estate was on the road in question. Am I correct in thinking that your road is not a direct route to the Trading Estate? If this is the case, then you have every right to contact the highways authority who have charge over that road and apply for a weight restriction, which when it comes into force, will still have exemptions for access, but obviously not to the Trading estate. Your only problem then would be in enforcing the new weight limit, this can be done qyite effectively by logging all offenders and contacting the companies concerned, some may tell you to go whistle, but most will instruct their drivers to avoid that route, good for business. I certainly do not condone my drivers breaking weight limit restrictions, and would not take kindly to having to appologise for them to a irrate householder. Good Luck, Simon.
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