Local council not thick but ignorant
Local council not thick but ignorant
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Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
In London, we live, basically, on a hill. For anyone living there every exit is a downhill side road to one of the main roads.

In the past there used to be salt boxes at the bottom of these roads. When I was a child they also used to be manually gritted by a chap with a shovel.

Now. Cut back to today and I deeply suspect that there is noone in the council who is either old enough to have seen frozen streets in London or originally from a country where snow or ice have any form of impact at any point.

The net result is that most of the salt bins have been removed. Those that remain have been empty for years and I've just spent 30 minutes of my life trying to explain that cars sliding out onto main roads is unhelthy and that all that is needed is for a chap to shovel some grit off a truck onto the bottom parts of these roads before they meet the main road.

Now, you would have thought that this was a simple concept to comprehend but sadly this is not the case. For 30 minutes I was told that the gritting trucks can't go up the side roads, so nothing can be done.

Luckily, I pay one of the highest council taxes in the country so at least I have that to fall back on in times such as this. biggrin

robinhood21

31,108 posts

261 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
I feel your angst! I phoned my council (Haringey) to complain about the new residents only parking bay scheme. Trying to explain that; being the road was narrow, when two vehicles are parked opposite each other, the gap between the parked vehicles was insufficient to allow a fire-engine through.

The over-paid-unable-to-survive-in-the-real-world response; "but I left passing places" banghead

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
When I was groing up there was a crossroads where traffic turning right would regularly be involved in massive and lethal collissions with oncoming traffic due to the layout and restricted visibility of the specific junction.

The solution was to ban traffic from turning right and all the deaths and accidents stop.

However, you can always tell when someone new has been put in charge of traffic as they remove the ban on right turns and people start dying again before they learn the reason for it having been there in the first instance.

You would have thought that the predessesor might have left some notes as to why it should remain.

rude-boy

22,227 posts

262 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
It's okay. The lives will now all be saved by the instillation of a speed camera and road humps. HTH.

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
rude-boy said:
It's okay. The lives will now all be saved by the instillation of a speed camera and road humps. HTH.
Funny you should say that. The feeder street is now covered in speed bumps but the deaths are caused by the fast moving traffic coming out of town the other way.

There are also 2 speed cameras placed 400 yds after the junction to slow that speeding traffic down after they have sped over it.

NDA

25,549 posts

254 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
I was told this morning that our local gritters have gone on strike.

But as a council worker posted on here recently, paying council tax has nothing to do with the provision of services, it's just simply a tax to keep them paid.

Puff Puff

23,205 posts

255 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
NDA said:
I was told this morning that our local gritters have gone on strike.

But as a council worker posted on here recently, paying council tax has nothing to do with the provision of services, it's just simply a tax to keep them paid.
Council tax is a small percentage of a council's income, it could well be that it equals the payroll.

NDA

25,549 posts

254 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
Puff Puff said:
NDA said:
I was told this morning that our local gritters have gone on strike.

But as a council worker posted on here recently, paying council tax has nothing to do with the provision of services, it's just simply a tax to keep them paid.
Council tax is a small percentage of a council's income, it could well be that it equals the payroll.
Surrey County Council claim that 81% of it's income is generated by Council Tax, the remainder through Government grants. 81% is, I would say, a significant percentage.

mouseymousey

2,642 posts

266 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
robinhood21 said:
I feel your angst! I phoned my council (Haringey) to complain about the new residents only parking bay scheme. Trying to explain that; being the road was narrow, when two vehicles are parked opposite each other, the gap between the parked vehicles was insufficient to allow a fire-engine through.

The over-paid-unable-to-survive-in-the-real-world response; "but I left passing places" banghead
If it's really a problem I'd phone the fire brigade.


Busamav

2,954 posts

237 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
I strolled to the end of our drive today and shovelled some grit / salt from the bin across the hill and outside of our drive .

Took less than 20 minutes for the whole area to clear itself .

Well done West berks council for providing them .

robinhood21

31,108 posts

261 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
mouseymousey said:
robinhood21 said:
I feel your angst! I phoned my council (Haringey) to complain about the new residents only parking bay scheme. Trying to explain that; being the road was narrow, when two vehicles are parked opposite each other, the gap between the parked vehicles was insufficient to allow a fire-engine through.

The over-paid-unable-to-survive-in-the-real-world response; "but I left passing places" banghead
If it's really a problem I'd phone the fire brigade.
Have just phoned the Fire Service. Apparently, I have to write to the local authority as this will then be 'on the record' and will be brought up at future planning meetings. As there is a planned 20mph zone in my area my concerns should be aired at said meeting.

Puff Puff

23,205 posts

255 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
NDA said:
Puff Puff said:
NDA said:
I was told this morning that our local gritters have gone on strike.

But as a council worker posted on here recently, paying council tax has nothing to do with the provision of services, it's just simply a tax to keep them paid.
Council tax is a small percentage of a council's income, it could well be that it equals the payroll.
Surrey County Council claim that 81% of it's income is generated by Council Tax, the remainder through Government grants. 81% is, I would say, a significant percentage.
Councils have more than two sources of income. Check SCC's annual report for details.

trumpet600

3,527 posts

260 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
You can no longer consider their Icelandic investments as sources of income.

tlracing

703 posts

252 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
Horse_Apple said:
Now, you would have thought that this was a simple concept to comprehend but sadly this is not the case. For 30 minutes I was told that the gritting trucks can't go up the side roads, so nothing can be done.
At the risk of making a heinous, indeed possibly heretical suggestion, would it not be possible for the gritting truck to stop just past the junction, reverse into it, spread and then continue on its way, repeating the same process at the foot of each side-road?

Sorry... getmecoat

MK4 Slowride

10,028 posts

237 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
robinhood21 said:
...Can't fit a Fire Engine...
You do realise that simple minded council fkers will just allow parking down one side of the raod only if you persist. Then if you don't your house could burn down?

Rock & hard place spring to mind.


ETA: Councils have A & B priority roads to grit as they can't do all of them. So only main road get done.

Edited by MK4 Slowride on Tuesday 3rd February 15:19

Puff Puff

23,205 posts

255 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
trumpet600 said:
You can no longer consider their Icelandic investments as sources of income.
Keep checking.

Horse_Apple

Original Poster:

3,795 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
tlracing said:
Horse_Apple said:
Now, you would have thought that this was a simple concept to comprehend but sadly this is not the case. For 30 minutes I was told that the gritting trucks can't go up the side roads, so nothing can be done.
At the risk of making a heinous, indeed possibly heretical suggestion, would it not be possible for the gritting truck to stop just past the junction, reverse into it, spread and then continue on its way, repeating the same process at the foot of each side-road?

Sorry... getmecoat
Well you've just talked yourself out of a job at my local council.

robinhood21

31,108 posts

261 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
MK4 Slowride said:
robinhood21 said:
...Can't fit a Fire Engine...
You do realise that simple minded council fkers will just allow parking down one side of the raod only if you persist. Then if you don't your house could burn down?

Rock & hard place spring to mind.
Ha! You are the head of planning for Haringey Council AICMFP. biggrin

They have already proposed double yellow lines along one half of the Road, which is OK by me as there are no houses on that section. But, have made no changes to the problem section. banghead Letter now posted and await with baited breath

MK4 Slowride

10,028 posts

237 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
Perhaps we could finance a Suzuki Carry to be fitted out with all the fire fighting equipment and order a couple of PORG firefighers to man the engine. That'd fit down nicely, keeping the parking to a maximum and ensuring the residents are safe.

I am quite the genius tonight.

malaccamax

1,646 posts

260 months

Tuesday 3rd February 2009
quotequote all
I like the response from Camden council as to why they don't use snowploughs: they'd get snagged on the speed bumps