Mud On Road - HS2 - Council Won't / Can't Help

[KTMsm]

I live in Warwickshire which currently has many HS2 sites and they are spreading mud for hundreds of metres over the road

I'm a realist and ex site agent so I know what is reasonable and we wouldn't have been able to get away with what they are doing

I reported a couple of the worst examples to the council who simply replied that I had to contact HS2 directly - have HS2 been given road powers above the Council ?

[littleredrooster]

Indeed - I drove up the stretch between Offchurch and the Fosse x-roads recently and it was like a battle-zone with mud liberally spread everywhere.

[TheDrownedApe]

another "local" here and it has been appalling for the past 2 years. They constantly have road cleaners out but they don't bother with the plant crossing places. the one between Offchurch and hummingham is the worst as it's a very quiet road and they don't care.

As a cyclist too these are horrendous for being slippy (at any speed), nvm dirty.

I know Andy Crump has been all over them but they have no negotiating power.

[sospan]

Highways have a basic responsibility for road condition. When another agency ( construction, farmer etc) creates a potential hazard they should enforce the pre agreed requirements for cleaning. However, will they actually do so?
I had calls into our police ops room requesting police go to check a road for safety reasons. Then try getting us to enforce cleaning and even go to get the offender to pay costs to them if they cleaned the road. Basically ineffective lazy buggers!
My guess is that when planning the work there would be an agreement in place to manage road cleaning. It would be the Highways people who checked and enforced it.

[KTMsm]

sospan said:

Highways have a basic responsibility for road condition. When another agency ( construction, farmer etc) creates a potential hazard they should enforce the pre agreed requirements for cleaning. However, will they actually do so?

This was my understanding however their reply seems to indicate that HS2 have a direct responsibility - which the Council cannot override, hence my question

I ride a motorbike and the Kenilworth road was covered in about 5mm of slurry the other day, it was horrific

[PF62]

Have you tried using HS2’s complaints process, which is to refer it to the Independent Construction Commissioner -

https://www.hs2.org.uk/contact-us/how-to-complain/

Organisations such as HS2 generally don’t like complaints, especially complaints about things which they are doing wrong and can’t just brush away.

[anonymous-user]

PF62 said:

things which they are doing wrong and can’t just brush away.

Except, in this case, they literally could.

[omniflow]

I've complained directly to HS2 twice, and they take it very seriously.

[poo at Paul's]

This could even be a police matter? , I’m sure it could be considered as a possible contravention of s137, 148, 149 and 161 of the road traffic act.

[KTMsm]

Following the link above I have raised it with HS2 - I won't hold my breath

Maybe it's me but following the complaint link when you go to the email option it seems to transform into a "comment" rather than a complaint

[Largechris]

KTMsm said:

Following the link above I have raised it with HS2 - I won't hold my breath

Maybe it's me but following the complaint link when you go to the email option it seems to transform into a "comment" rather than a complaint

Think I'd be taking photos and sending them as well, if their portal allows it.

[Evanivitch]

Strange one this. Armed Forces vehicles are quite meticulous in ensuring highway is cleared of mud and debris from crossing vehicles, I thought it was a requirement in highway code at a time.

Doesn't appear so now.

Perhaps worth appealing to a few cycling and motorcycling groups as this can and does lead to incidents and deaths.

[mgv8]

There is a point that once you have reported a hazard, if anyone get in an accident then its there fault as the know about it and did not do anything. Who that is maybe a little more complex, but just let them all know.

[poo at Paul's]

mgv8 said:

There is a point that once you have reported a hazard, if anyone get in an accident then its there fault as the know about it and did not do anything. Who that is maybe a little more complex, but just let them all know.

Yes, it would be worth reporting it on street doctor site. You’ll likely get some bullst reply in a month saying they inspected it and it was clear, but in the meantime, if someone does bin it on the mud, they will thank you for having reported it as council will now be liable. If council have that happen enough times, maybe they will start taking it more seriously….?

[The big yin]

I would go onto the local police site and complain by e mail to them (especially motor bike riders) and ask for an update if they do anything .
Might work.

[The big yin]

I would go onto the local police site and complain by e mail to them (especially motor bike riders) and ask for an update if they do anything .
Might work.
Or go straight to the top
[e-mail]

[bosshog]

Where I live in the countryside there is constantly mud on the roads Oct-> now. For some reason farmers these days just don’t give a sh@t unless it’s a major A road. My dads is now retired but he was a farmer all his life and always cleared up after himself on the road. I can’t only presume it’s because the police and council simply don’t care or have bigger fish to fry compared to days gone by.

[IAmTheWalrus]

KTMsm said:

I live in Warwickshire which currently has many HS2 sites and they are spreading mud for hundreds of metres over the road

I'm a realist and ex site agent so I know what is reasonable and we wouldn't have been able to get away with what they are doing

I reported a couple of the worst examples to the council who simply replied that I had to contact HS2 directly - have HS2 been given road powers above the Council ?

Make the most of it, setup some all female topless mud wrestling competitions, they will soon clean it up...

[Evanivitch]

bosshog said:

Where I live in the countryside there is constantly mud on the roads Oct-> now. For some reason farmers these days just don’t give a sh@t unless it’s a major A road. My dads is now retired but he was a farmer all his life and always cleared up after himself on the road. I can’t only presume it’s because the police and council simply don’t care or have bigger fish to fry compared to days gone by.

I have more sympathy for a farming operation that doesn't have the space or resources for a wash down, than a multi Billion project that has the space, resources and personnel to facilitate a clean down.

[anonymous-user]

The big yin said:

I would go onto the local police site and complain by e mail to them (especially motor bike riders) and ask for an update if they do anything .
Might work.

Long time ago, early 2000s. I was visiting a local motorbike dealers in the countryside on my bike. Came round a left hand bend at only 15-20mph to find 3 inch thick slabs of mud in the shape of tractor treads all over my lane. I slid over to the other side of road and was very lucky nothing was in that lane and I managed to stay on.

The tracks led straight from a field. So i reported it to local police as was worried another biker/cyclist wouldn't be as lucky. Road was cleaned within 24hrs. Hopefully the lazy either did it or paid for it.

So could be worth reporting to local police on safety grounds