Town Police Clauses Act 1847 - street closure

[Hoink]

Hello all,

Hopefully someone knows something about this.

To give a quick timeline of events:
- we received a leaflet through the door from one of the neighbours further down the street on 22nd October asking if we would like to take part in a halloween party on Saturday 1st November
- we were on holiday from Friday 24th for a week and so didn't respond (we didn't want to tell people who we don't know that the house would be empty and that the last thing we would want to do is go to a party when we get back 5am Saturday morning). Note; there was no reference to a street party or proposed street closure.
- we arrive home this morning and there is a notice on the trees on the street stating the road will be closed from 15:00 to 19:30 today...dated 20th October but this was definitely not there when we went on holiday

This really isn't convenient as during this time we need access to and from the house. Mrs H approached the organiser about this and she wasn't particularly helpful. Annoyingly the two houses arranging it are located on either side of the street and we live in the middle...of course rather than closing one end so there is access they're closing the whole thing.

So...

The letter left by the council on the trees hasn't particularly impressed me. I've tracked down the contact details for name on the notice as the only thing included was a name and address, no email or telephone number. Part of the letter states:

"The penalty for infringement of the above regulation is a fine"

One question is who will enforce this? I doubt there will be any official person there so what is stopping me from simply driving out?

The second question; how much notice should I have been given?

I fully expect the Victor Meldrew comments but had I been given sufficient notice then this would not have been an issue. I don't understand the whole halloween thing across here but that's for another thread!

Thanks,

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

This really isn't convenient as during this time we need access to and from the house.

So, umm, how far away would you have to park?

[Gareth79]

Looks like it's s.21: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/89/...
It doesn't specify that any notice is required.

Maximum fine is level 3, £1,000, but I'd think that if you tried to drive your car through a party the police would be looking at other offences too.

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

This really isn't convenient as during this time we need access to and from the house.

So, umm, how far away would you have to park?

I don't see how this is relevant. I need access to and from my house and was not given sufficient warning.

To answer your question, however.

300 yards with a week load of shopping being delivered. We also have an engineer out fixing the boiler and he is coming/going whilst getting parts as it's knackered and in his words "not safe to be left".

[Hoink]

Gareth79 said:

Looks like it's s.21: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/89/...
It doesn't specify that any notice is required.

Maximum fine is level 3, £1,000, but I'd think that if you tried to drive your car through a party the police would be looking at other offences too.

Thanks, I did wonder about other charges. I will be chasing the contact mentioned on the notice as they've essentially closed a street of 20 houses so four or five of them can have friends over and get pissed.

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

This really isn't convenient as during this time we need access to and from the house.

So, umm, how far away would you have to park?

I don't see how this is relevant.

No, I didn't think you would.

Hoink said:

I need access to and from my house

I'm sure you do. But does your car need to be parked at the house, or could you park it round the corner and walk to it...?

Hoink said:

To answer your question, however.

300 yards

Not a big issue, then.

Hoink said:

with a week load of shopping being delivered. We also have an engineer out fixing the boiler and he is coming/going whilst getting parts as it's knackered and in his words "not safe to be left".

Any reason why they can't park 300m away, too? They'll be very used to it.

[Roo]

Can't help but I'm surprised they've been allowed to close the whole street for such a pathetic reason.

I can see why it's the last thing you need when you only got home in the early hours.

[agtlaw]

Gareth79 said:

Looks like it's s.21: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/10-11/89/...
It doesn't specify that any notice is required.

Maximum fine is level 3, £1,000, but I'd think that if you tried to drive your car through a party the police would be looking at other offences too.

2 penalty points. Never dealt with this but it sounds like a play street offence.

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

This really isn't convenient as during this time we need access to and from the house.

So, umm, how far away would you have to park?

I don't see how this is relevant.

No, I didn't think you would.

Hoink said:

I need access to and from my house

I'm sure you do. But does your car need to be parked at the house, or could you park it round the corner and walk to it...?

Hoink said:

To answer your question, however.

300 yards

Not a big issue, then.

Hoink said:

with a week load of shopping being delivered. We also have an engineer out fixing the boiler and he is coming/going whilst getting parts as it's knackered and in his words "not safe to be left".

Any reason why they can't park 300m away, too? They'll be very used to it.

I'm guessing you're one of the four families currently at the party?

Please explain why the rest of the street should be so inconvenienced. They could have closed one bit of the street off and left the rest open.

[Hoink]

Roo said:

Can't help but I'm surprised they've been allowed to close the whole street for such a pathetic reason.

I can see why it's the last thing you need when you only got home in the early hours.

Tell me about it...it's the last thing I wanted. I could understand for big events or if the whole street was up for it.

There are currently more cones than people.

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

Please explain why the rest of the street should be so inconvenienced. They could have closed one bit of the street off and left the rest open.

Just for clarification, I thought your issue here was the lack of notice...?

Hoink said:

had I been given sufficient notice then this would not have been an issue.

Oh, and - yes - I'm at the party. Look out your window. See the person typing on a laptop out there? That's me, that is. Look! I'm waving at you, you misanthropic curmudgeon! I might even use a second finger in a minute, for variety.

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

Please explain why the rest of the street should be so inconvenienced. They could have closed one bit of the street off and left the rest open.

Just for clarification, I thought your issue here was the lack of notice...?

Hoink said:

had I been given sufficient notice then this would not have been an issue.

Oh, and - yes - I'm at the party. Look out your window. See the person typing on a laptop out there? That's me, that is. Look! I'm waving at you, you misanthropic curmudgeon! I might even use a second finger in a minute, for variety.

Are you like this in real life?

One of my neighbours has just ignored the closure and driven through the street, getting out to move the cones.

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

Are you like this in real life?

Do I take the piss out of self-important fools who don't see why they should have to park a couple of hundred metres away for four hours? Damn right.

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

Are you like this in real life?

Do I take the piss out of self-important fools who don't see why they should have to park a couple of hundred metres away for four hours? Damn right.

I haven't once said I'm moving my car. You also don't know what the parking is like in my estate.

I think being annoyed when I have less than 11 hours notice is quite understable given what I had booked in.

Awaits multiple quote which you seem to do quite a lot telling me I'm obviously in the wrong.

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

I think being annoyed when I have less than 11 hours notice is quite understable given what I had booked in.

You didn't have "less than 11 hours notice". You just weren't there for most of the notice period.

Hoink said:

Awaits multiple quote which you seem to do quite a lot

Are you jealous because you don't know how to? It's really not very hard.

Edited by TooMany2cvs on Saturday 1st November 16:59

[egor110]

Hoink said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

Are you like this in real life?

Do I take the piss out of self-important fools who don't see why they should have to park a couple of hundred metres away for four hours? Damn right.

I haven't once said I'm moving my car. You also don't know what the parking is like in my estate.

I think being annoyed when I have less than 11 hours notice is quite understable given what I had booked in.

Awaits multiple quote which you seem to do quite a lot telling me I'm obviously in the wrong.

But you've had more than 11 hours notice, how's the council supposed to know you were away on holiday?

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

I think being annoyed when I have less than 11 hours notice is quite understable given what I had booked in.

You didn't have "less than 11 hours notice". You just weren't there for most of the notice period.

I was away for one week. They must have known about it a little longer than that so could have given decent notice and/or closed the street in sections.

[TooMany2cvs]

Hoink said:

I was away for one week. They must have known about it a little longer than that so could have given decent notice and/or closed the street in sections.

The closure was arranged on the 20th, according to the signs. You were away from the 24th. The signs might have been up between the 20th and the 24th, but you didn't notice the signs.

But, no matter what the reason or how long the notice - the fact remains that this is about you having to park 300m away for four hours, you poor lamb.

[Hoink]

TooMany2cvs said:

Hoink said:

I was away for one week. They must have known about it a little longer than that so could have given decent notice and/or closed the street in sections.

The closure was arranged on the 20th, according to the signs. You were away from the 24th. The signs might have been up between the 20th and the 24th, but you didn't notice the signs.

But, no matter what the reason or how long the notice - the fact remains that this is about you having to park 300m away for four hours, you poor lamb.

Yes, I must have missed all the signs when I walk in and out of the street to and from work every day.

I can't be bothered with you - you win.

[trashbat]

Is the moral of the tale that you should build a better relationship with your neighbours? No? Didn't think so.