RE: Councils face charges over road deaths
Monday 6th September 2004
Councils face charges over road deaths
Police to investigate councils with poor road maintenance records
Five councils face corporate manslaughter charges after motorists died on roads said to be in a dangerous condition, according to a story in The Times.
Three councils are involved, West Sussex County Council, West Yorkshire a district council in Humberside, and The Welsh Assembly are being investigated by the police.
Insurer Zurich Municipal reportedly said that, in some cases, more was being paid out in compensation for damage to car suspensions and other components than was spent on road maintenance, with claims having increased by nearly 60 per cent between 1998 and 2002.
To read more, check the story link below.
Discussion
It's about time councils were forced to keep up with their end of the bargain. We as motorists have paid a high price for our roads and we are entitled to see them in a safe condition.
I have noticed the condition of roads deteriorating substantially to the point that they can move my car offline. It is far more dangerous for motorbikes.
Perhaps this will send out the right message about road safety. We are expected to keep our vehicles in a roadworthy condition, it's high time councils were forced to keep the roads in a vehicle worthy condition.
I have noticed the condition of roads deteriorating substantially to the point that they can move my car offline. It is far more dangerous for motorbikes.
Perhaps this will send out the right message about road safety. We are expected to keep our vehicles in a roadworthy condition, it's high time councils were forced to keep the roads in a vehicle worthy condition.
I recently destroyed an almost new tyre hitting a sunken drain in Bedfordshire. 50 mph and it rupyured the tyre wall - successive layers of tarmac left the drain cover sunk about 4 inches below the road surface, and I had to move across due to a bus coming the other way - bang.
What really rankles is that it cost me over a ton for a new tyre, meanwhile the Bedfordshire scamera partnership have issue 2 NIPS against me.
What really rankles is that it cost me over a ton for a new tyre, meanwhile the Bedfordshire scamera partnership have issue 2 NIPS against me.
Roads in general are poor.
I have been down some local A & B roads recently. One of which I was suprised had been made a 50mph from a 60 road the A422 from Buckingham to Brackley, then when I drove along it it was so rutted, bumpy and utter crap I had no doubt why it had been reduced I didn't even want to do 50 on it, just get off ASAP.
I went down the B488 from Leighton Buzzard to Ivinghoe on Saturday, after passing the Grove Lock pub the road changed to something I can only describe as a railway track will all the sleepers on it but none on the rails, deep grooves going across the road evenly spaced out for almost it's entire length. Absolutely abysmal.
As for inner-town driving, so many different levels and types of tarmac used, top layers removed or worn away, cracks, undulations you name it they are everywhere and not a penny seemingly spent on repairs in the last few years.
They construct wide single carriageway bypasses and wonder why there are so many head on collisions (so install cameras and reduce the speed limit) when there was easily space in the first place to make it a dual carriageway with barrier between the directional traffic - no head accidents. But the planners don't think about these things, and the local officials only have there re-election in mind, the way to get re-elected is to spend as little as possible it seems.
Proper road maintenance will cut accidents far more than any other measure some tinpot looney in his ivory tower will ever think up.
I have been down some local A & B roads recently. One of which I was suprised had been made a 50mph from a 60 road the A422 from Buckingham to Brackley, then when I drove along it it was so rutted, bumpy and utter crap I had no doubt why it had been reduced I didn't even want to do 50 on it, just get off ASAP.
I went down the B488 from Leighton Buzzard to Ivinghoe on Saturday, after passing the Grove Lock pub the road changed to something I can only describe as a railway track will all the sleepers on it but none on the rails, deep grooves going across the road evenly spaced out for almost it's entire length. Absolutely abysmal.
As for inner-town driving, so many different levels and types of tarmac used, top layers removed or worn away, cracks, undulations you name it they are everywhere and not a penny seemingly spent on repairs in the last few years.
They construct wide single carriageway bypasses and wonder why there are so many head on collisions (so install cameras and reduce the speed limit) when there was easily space in the first place to make it a dual carriageway with barrier between the directional traffic - no head accidents. But the planners don't think about these things, and the local officials only have there re-election in mind, the way to get re-elected is to spend as little as possible it seems.
Proper road maintenance will cut accidents far more than any other measure some tinpot looney in his ivory tower will ever think up.
unfortunatley the UK's climate plays a big part in the condition of the roads. If we had a climate like Spain of north africa would be no problems. One winter of rain and ice and hundreds of potholes spring up like an oasis in a desert of smooth highways. Plus all the utility companies patching here there and everywhere. Double the annual highways budget and we might be making some headway into the years of underfunding.(and a lot of contractors wealthy)
dimmadan said:
unfortunatley the UK's climate plays a big part in the condition of the roads. If we had a climate like Spain of north africa would be no problems. One winter of rain and ice and hundreds of potholes spring up like an oasis in a desert of smooth highways. Plus all the utility companies patching here there and everywhere. Double the annual highways budget and we might be making some headway into the years of underfunding.(and a lot of contractors wealthy)
Our climate isn't really any different than it has been in my lifetime and the roads in the 60s and 70s were much better. The main reasons for the roads getting worse are, more traffic and improper repairs/building of roads. A lot of companies dig up the roads for legitimate reason but when they come to repair them, there is seldom ever any council inspectors checking their work. So no incentive to do the job correctly.
>> Edited by jim'schim on Tuesday 7th September 07:35
I have recently moved to Fleet in Hampshire and have noticed that although the road surfaces are fine the gutters are full of weeds, leaves, grit and broken glass. This got me thinking, when I was a kid there used to be road sweepers and road sweeper lorries that regularly cleaned the gutters, do they still do this in your area?
vetteheadracer said:
I have recently moved to Fleet in Hampshire and have noticed that although the road surfaces are fine the gutters are full of weeds, leaves, grit and broken glass. This got me thinking, when I was a kid there used to be road sweepers and road sweeper lorries that regularly cleaned the gutters, do they still do this in your area?
Yes, every week - on Tuesdays, as it happens.
vetteheadracer said:
I have recently moved to Fleet in Hampshire and have noticed that although the road surfaces are fine the gutters are full of weeds, leaves, grit and broken glass. This got me thinking, when I was a kid there used to be road sweepers and road sweeper lorries that regularly cleaned the gutters, do they still do this in your area?
Yes, every third year
If ever anything was well overdue it's this.
I have approached the police on numerous occasions over traffic accidents and asked them to charge the council with corporate negligence; the case for it was utterly compelling.
They looked at me as if I was from another planet!!
Why??
My personal experience of this was to have the lower wishbone and anti roll bar BENT on my Quattro in a pot hole; I mean they rally these cars without bending wishbones!
It turned out this pot hole had claimed at least six victims over a period of three weeks and had been reported every time; nothing was done.
It would be interesting to find out how many injuries or even fatalities are caused by this incompetence.
I have approached the police on numerous occasions over traffic accidents and asked them to charge the council with corporate negligence; the case for it was utterly compelling.
They looked at me as if I was from another planet!!
Why??
My personal experience of this was to have the lower wishbone and anti roll bar BENT on my Quattro in a pot hole; I mean they rally these cars without bending wishbones!
It turned out this pot hole had claimed at least six victims over a period of three weeks and had been reported every time; nothing was done.
It would be interesting to find out how many injuries or even fatalities are caused by this incompetence.
I come from up near John O' Groats and now live in Surrey. I came home to Wick this x-mas and the state of the road north is just apalling even a year ago they wern't in this kind of state with potholes and uneaven tarmac. I have noticed this worsening state since the take over of the maintainance by Bear. 20 years ago, even 10 years ago I could boast that the roads were the best in the country now I would be ashamed to be responsable for them. I knew the lads that worked the roads for the local council and they had a pride in their work, they would boast about how they would sweeten the banking on the corners etc and you could feel the diffrence they made.
Think I will drop a note to the local council and newspaper about the state of the roads here.
Think I will drop a note to the local council and newspaper about the state of the roads here.
If you go to the BMF website, you can find the e-mail address for the relevant body at the local council.
E-mail them and complain, then at least they can't deny any knowledge of the problem with any particular road or stretch.
Whether they'll actually do anything about it is another matter!
E-mail them and complain, then at least they can't deny any knowledge of the problem with any particular road or stretch.
Whether they'll actually do anything about it is another matter!
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