Illegally parked safety camera van
Discussion
Did a search on this but didn't turn up anything other than a Daily Mail article.
On the way to the station this morning in Reading, I happened upon a 'Safety' Camera Van, parked on double yellow lines in the central reservation on Vastern Road.
This is a very short stretch of dual carriageway in the centre of town with a central reservation that widens considerably. As it widens, there are keep left arrows and double yellow lines along the stretch of tarmac in the middle. The van was parked in front of one of the signs.
I was travelling at just under 40mph and I cannot remember whether the speed limit was 30 or 40mph on this stretch. The annoying thing is that normally you are lucky if you get to travel at walking pace along here in rush hour, but the school holidays seem to have reduced traffic to such an extent that traffic today was free flowing. I will be really p1ssed off if I get a FPN from this. I haven't seen any accidents between cars along this stretch and there are traffic lights for pedestrian crossings, so pedestrians are very safe here. I can only think that the van was positioned here as a revenue earner.
Parking is very expensive in Reading and people park in some daft places - but in the 15 years I have lived in the town, I have never once seen a vehicle parked where this van was sited. If I parked there I would expect to be ticketed at least and probably towed away as it a daft place to park.
I have rung Thames Valley Police to tell them and written to the Chief Constable.
Anything else I can do? If I do get a FPN, is there anything I can do as the van was illegally parked? (expecting the answer no....)
On the way to the station this morning in Reading, I happened upon a 'Safety' Camera Van, parked on double yellow lines in the central reservation on Vastern Road.
This is a very short stretch of dual carriageway in the centre of town with a central reservation that widens considerably. As it widens, there are keep left arrows and double yellow lines along the stretch of tarmac in the middle. The van was parked in front of one of the signs.
I was travelling at just under 40mph and I cannot remember whether the speed limit was 30 or 40mph on this stretch. The annoying thing is that normally you are lucky if you get to travel at walking pace along here in rush hour, but the school holidays seem to have reduced traffic to such an extent that traffic today was free flowing. I will be really p1ssed off if I get a FPN from this. I haven't seen any accidents between cars along this stretch and there are traffic lights for pedestrian crossings, so pedestrians are very safe here. I can only think that the van was positioned here as a revenue earner.
Parking is very expensive in Reading and people park in some daft places - but in the 15 years I have lived in the town, I have never once seen a vehicle parked where this van was sited. If I parked there I would expect to be ticketed at least and probably towed away as it a daft place to park.
I have rung Thames Valley Police to tell them and written to the Chief Constable.
Anything else I can do? If I do get a FPN, is there anything I can do as the van was illegally parked? (expecting the answer no....)
Here is a transcrpt of my letter to the Chief Constable.....
Dear Sir/Madam
Illegally parked Safety Camera van
Whilst driving to Reading Station this morning at approximately 08.30, I passed a Safety Camera van parked on Vastern Road. The van was illegally and dangerously parked in the central reservation, on double yellow lines.
Had a member of the public parked a vehicle in this location it would quite rightly have received a fixed penalty notice for illegal parking and should have been removed for being in a dangerous position. I am at a loss why a vehicle with the purpose of promoting road safety should be parked in a manner which itself creates a potential road hazard.
The operators of this vehicle have a duty to uphold the law as well as to enforce it. I should be grateful if you would please explain what action will be taken on this matter.
Furthermore, in the years that I have been using this stretch of road, I have not seen any accidents between cars and there are traffic lights crossings catering for pedestrians. It was my understanding that Safety Cameras were only positioned at accident black spots. I suspect that this van was situated with revenue generation in mind rather than road safety.
I cannot help contrast this with a particularly dangerous stretch of the A4074 Reading – Oxford road as it passes through Green Dean Wood, about 5 miles from Reading. The road goes through a dip and through a number of corners. Serious accidents regularly occur on this stretch, known to local residents as ‘The seven bends of death’. I frequently see badly damaged cars which have left the road and collided with trees. Yet despite this, I have never seen a speed camera to discourage excessive speed through this stretch.
I cannot reconcile the questionable positioning of a mobile camera on Vastern Road, with the lack of action to control speed on the A4074. Please would you comment on why the Vastern Road location was chosen?
Dear Sir/Madam
Illegally parked Safety Camera van
Whilst driving to Reading Station this morning at approximately 08.30, I passed a Safety Camera van parked on Vastern Road. The van was illegally and dangerously parked in the central reservation, on double yellow lines.
Had a member of the public parked a vehicle in this location it would quite rightly have received a fixed penalty notice for illegal parking and should have been removed for being in a dangerous position. I am at a loss why a vehicle with the purpose of promoting road safety should be parked in a manner which itself creates a potential road hazard.
The operators of this vehicle have a duty to uphold the law as well as to enforce it. I should be grateful if you would please explain what action will be taken on this matter.
Furthermore, in the years that I have been using this stretch of road, I have not seen any accidents between cars and there are traffic lights crossings catering for pedestrians. It was my understanding that Safety Cameras were only positioned at accident black spots. I suspect that this van was situated with revenue generation in mind rather than road safety.
I cannot help contrast this with a particularly dangerous stretch of the A4074 Reading – Oxford road as it passes through Green Dean Wood, about 5 miles from Reading. The road goes through a dip and through a number of corners. Serious accidents regularly occur on this stretch, known to local residents as ‘The seven bends of death’. I frequently see badly damaged cars which have left the road and collided with trees. Yet despite this, I have never seen a speed camera to discourage excessive speed through this stretch.
I cannot reconcile the questionable positioning of a mobile camera on Vastern Road, with the lack of action to control speed on the A4074. Please would you comment on why the Vastern Road location was chosen?
Good to know your views Tony!!
This van was parked in a way that you would think 'God, look where that to55er has parked' if it was a member of the public - which is why its positioning winds me up so much.
Presumably the cross hatching is there for a reason, and that reason applies to all....
Would you move a member of the public on if they were parked on double yellow lines in the middle of a white cross-hatched area bordered with a solid white line?
This van was parked in a way that you would think 'God, look where that to55er has parked' if it was a member of the public - which is why its positioning winds me up so much.
Presumably the cross hatching is there for a reason, and that reason applies to all....
Would you move a member of the public on if they were parked on double yellow lines in the middle of a white cross-hatched area bordered with a solid white line?
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