Ask a Highways England Traffic Officer anything

[Flibbertygibbet]

speedyguy said:

I don't see any issue in killing an animal to prevent an accident or possible fatality http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wale...
Unlike many of the keyboard warrior dog/animal loving idiots who haven't worked with animals on a high speed road in the dark with light flow high speed traffic.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/...

Edited by speedyguy on Friday 6th April 23:34

I’ve seen police firearms units shoot an animal on the motorways before if they are injured and not likely to live (large deer and horses mostly). Cows are somewhat bigger and the carcasses more valuable and/or difficult to dispose of so they are usually attempted to be shepherded into a field.

Shooting the animal has always been a police decision though if the risk of keeping the animal alive and causing disruption etc is greater than that of disposing of it. Worth bearing in mind that Highways can’t instruct the police to go shoot an animal however they can ask for assistance to “remove it from the network safely”, it’s all about how it’s phrased, what inspector is on duty in the police control room and whether firearms are doing anything more interesting at that moment in time.

RSPCA or local vets get called more often than not for horses deer dogs and sheep etc as they can euthanise or use a bolt gun.

[grumpy52]

Flibbertygibbet said:

speedyguy said:

I don't see any issue in killing an animal to prevent an accident or possible fatality http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wale...
Unlike many of the keyboard warrior dog/animal loving idiots who haven't worked with animals on a high speed road in the dark with light flow high speed traffic.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/...

Edited by speedyguy on Friday 6th April 23:34

I’ve seen police firearms units shoot an animal on the motorways before if they are injured and not likely to live (large deer and horses mostly). Cows are somewhat bigger and the carcasses more valuable and/or difficult to dispose of so they are usually attempted to be shepherded into a field.

Shooting the animal has always been a police decision though if the risk of keeping the animal alive and causing disruption etc is greater than that of disposing of it. Worth bearing in mind that Highways can’t instruct the police to go shoot an animal however they can ask for assistance to “remove it from the network safely”, it’s all about how it’s phrased, what inspector is on duty in the police control room and whether firearms are doing anything more interesting at that moment in time.

RSPCA or local vets get called more often than not for horses deer dogs and sheep etc as they can euthanise or use a bolt gun.

In the old days my uncle who shot for England was on the Police list if they needed someone to dispatch an animal .

[revvingit]

Wtf is this about?

Broken down car on dual carriageway, traffic wombles can't change a fking tyre for a distressed woman? I as a passing motorist could be more help than the paid traffic officers? Apparently changing a tyre is out of their role, could you imagine doing a job where your that unable to help someone?

A1 - Britain's longest road - Episode 2

[anonymous-user]

Yeah it is rubbish isn't it, many good proactive people leave because of it.
Read the thead through as I have already mentioned in the past when I did the job me and a colleague were reported by a passing mechanic of a local garage (who lost the Rota recovery contract) for 'assisting' a lady in very poor conditions with a baby and toddler, or as also mentioned the chap who went to the police who went to the old HA who went to the training company to recover £5 for a tt gentleman with no recovery ( so minimum £150 stat removal fee) who wanted the replacement wheelbrace paying for.

In light of just those 2 instances and many more, what will your reassed view be ?

[BossHogg]

I used to carry a spider wheel brace to lend to motorists who wanted to change a wheel themselves but had no wheel brace. I got told in no uncertain terms to lose it or face disciplinary action.

[revvingit]

speedyguy said:

Yeah it is rubbish isn't it, many good proactive people leave because of it.
Read the thead through as I have already mentioned in the past when I did the job me and a colleague were reported by a passing mechanic of a local garage (who lost the Rota recovery contract) for 'assisting' a lady in very poor conditions with a baby and toddler, or as also mentioned the chap who went to the police who went to the old HA who went to the training company to recover £5 for a tt gentleman with no recovery ( so minimum £150 stat removal fee) who wanted the replacement wheelbrace paying for.

In light of just those 2 instances and many more, what will your reassed view be ?

The tts shouldn't be allowed to report you for that, the laws a load of st.

[revvingit]

I really love the minute man bike featured in the next episode of that series though (I think it's a Highways England thing), absolutely incredible piece of kit.

[Flibbertygibbet]

revvingit said:

I really love the minute man bike featured in the next episode of that series though (I think it's a Highways England thing), absolutely incredible piece of kit.

Provided by CF motoring recovery conpany who do a “minuteman” free recovery service on the A1 Gateshead Western Bypass. They do get paid a decent wedge from Highways England for operating it however. They are also fully Airwave equipped which is interesting.

As for tyre changes it’s a hangover from the old civil service liability and red tape culture. Who is to blame if the HATO didn’t tighten the wheel nuts correctly so it fell off 5 miles down the road, or if they put on a bald tyre, etc etc. Also pressure from recovery operators for basically “doing their job and stealing their business”. Management decided it was easier to just say no

[Hol]

How do you choose the point at which to place a merge in turn?


If so many people think it’s more correct to get in one lane xx meters sooner, why isn’t the official merger point put there?

[mcdjl]

Hol said:

How do you choose the point at which to place a merge in turn?


If so many people think it’s more correct to get in one lane xx meters sooner, why isn’t the official merger point put there?

Because those people will then merge xx metres before that point?
The ones to deal with are those that don't see the merge point and mean it needs to be moved further away from the works is protecting and making the closures longer.

[kowalski655]

Hol said:

How do you choose the point at which to place a merge in turn?


If so many people think it’s more correct to get in one lane xx meters sooner, why isn’t the official merger point put there?

Surely that's down to the engineers decision,not a HATO,so OpBob is yet man for a proper answer, but I imagine it's placed at the last possible moment to maximize available road, taking into account junctions and other stuff.
The fact that people think you need to merge waaay further down is due to people being stupid

[G13NVL]

May have been asked before but, are you not aloud to move/tow/push broken down vehicles out of the way?
M6 roadworks last week down to crawl/standstill for miles eventually get to the cause and a broken down car in lane 1 with traffic officer sat behind. Brake down can’t be helped and no hard shoulder in roadworks but about 20 yards in front of the broken down car was a slip road with 2 lanes and open harshoulder surely it makes sense to get the car onto there much safer place to wait/ be recovered/ repaired and saves hours of delays!

[BossHogg]

In roadworks with hard shoulder running, there is free recovery in place. Our job is to protect the scene, however, if there was a slip road so close as you explained, I would clear to that slip - unless- the engine has blown and dumped all its oil on the road. Then it would have to remain closed untill recovery has taken place so the road surface can be cleaned.

[Gafferjim]

Also the overhead signs are not working in those type of roadworks so unable to put a lane closure on the matrix to protect the vehicle, protection then given by HETO car whilst free recovery attend and deal.

[surveyor]

Gafferjim said:

Also the overhead signs are not working in those type of roadworks so unable to put a lane closure on the matrix to protect the vehicle, protection then given by HETO car whilst free recovery attend and deal.

Why do you need an overhead sign when traffic is at a standstill? I'd get it if it was 9PM at night and traffic is moving....

Sometimes Highways Agency seems too bound in procedures rather than giving the teams the opportunity to actually decide on what to do based on dynamic risk assessments.

Not a go at you Gaffer... More the way the organisation is run.

[Hol]

kowalski655 said:

Hol said:

How do you choose the point at which to place a merge in turn?


If so many people think it’s more correct to get in one lane xx meters sooner, why isn’t the official merger point put there?

Surely that's down to the engineers decision,not a HATO,so OpBob is yet man for a proper answer, but I imagine it's placed at the last possible moment to maximize available road, taking into account junctions and other stuff.
The fact that people think you need to merge waaay further down is due to people being stupid

I know. I was just pissed at some road captains.

[Flibbertygibbet]

I would wager it depends on the type of fault.

Automatics won’t be towed
Seized brakes won’t be towed
Dumped oil won’t be towed
Police interest vehicles won’t be towed unless police instruct
Utterly knackered tyres won’t be towed if there is a risk of damage to the wheel

Free recovery get paid a hell of a lot to be there (those heavy recovery trucks and impact protection vehicles don’t come cheap) with good reason. They are “professionals” in vehicle recovery/clearance so in theory should be able to do all the above with much less chance of vehicle damage.

[Flumpo]

Hi

I realise you run the strategic motorway not the a roads. But when you close a stretch of motorway do you not check with the local highways for conflicting road closures?

A couple of months back part of the motorway was closed. Had to come off and follow the diversion signs. However the diversion sign led directly onto a road the local guys had decided to resurface and were closing that road. What followed was a 60 odd mile diversion on top of the standard journey.

I realise the locals may be at fault but when you close the motorway, doesn’t anyone do a check the diversion is working throughout the closure?

Also had to come off the m62 for a closure this week and no one had bothered to put up any diversion signs. It was a total mess with one lorry who decided after circling the exit roundabout a few times he just pulled up.

Also is there a number you can ring to say the diversion is t working?

[revvingit]

Flumpo said:

Hi

I realise you run the strategic motorway not the a roads. But when you close a stretch of motorway do you not check with the local highways for conflicting road closures?

A couple of months back part of the motorway was closed. Had to come off and follow the diversion signs. However the diversion sign led directly onto a road the local guys had decided to resurface and were closing that road. What followed was a 60 odd mile diversion on top of the standard journey.

I realise the locals may be at fault but when you close the motorway, doesn’t anyone do a check the diversion is working throughout the closure?

Also had to come off the m62 for a closure this week and no one had bothered to put up any diversion signs. It was a total mess with one lorry who decided after circling the exit roundabout a few times he just pulled up.

Also is there a number you can ring to say the diversion is t working?

The national switchboard 0300 123 5000

[Flumpo]

revvingit said:

Flumpo said:

Hi

I realise you run the strategic motorway not the a roads. But when you close a stretch of motorway do you not check with the local highways for conflicting road closures?

A couple of months back part of the motorway was closed. Had to come off and follow the diversion signs. However the diversion sign led directly onto a road the local guys had decided to resurface and were closing that road. What followed was a 60 odd mile diversion on top of the standard journey.

I realise the locals may be at fault but when you close the motorway, doesn’t anyone do a check the diversion is working throughout the closure?

Also had to come off the m62 for a closure this week and no one had bothered to put up any diversion signs. It was a total mess with one lorry who decided after circling the exit roundabout a few times he just pulled up.

Also is there a number you can ring to say the diversion is t working?

The national switchboard 0300 123 5000

Thanks, will keep that in mind.