I am a Road Policing Sgt with Essex Police, working primarily in the South of the county around the M25 borders. I am currently dealing with an increasing issue of large mobile billboard trailers parking in Laybys and in doing so blocking potential spaces for yourselves and other road users. I am often finding that when left unchecked, other companies will think to themselves ‘i’ll have some of that’ and we get 2-3 in the same stretch to take advantage of the key commuter exposure.
I have been issuing tickets for unnecessary obstruction with an accompanying letter explaining that the local highways dept install and maintain the laybys for road users to take rest and refuge, not for them to park for a week or more for commercial gain and generally this has worked, however one particular company is being resistant to the ‘ticketfest’ i have been having with their vehicles and even contacted me to state they don’t feel HGVs should be sleeping over night in the laybys (yes, i know!!) but there is nothing preventing them parking there so they will continue.
In order to support a potential court case against them i am trying to show the effect - i have contacted the RHA who have provided support and some information about the lack of overnight parking capacity in the South East however it would be really useful to hear from any of you who may have had trouble finding space for your daily rest (or even your 45s) because of these advertising vehicles blocking space - i would be especially interested in issues around the M25 ends of the A12 and A127 but generic examples are also fine. I don’t need personal details - a post here is fine.
They weren’t taking the hint with a ticket and a letter like the others so i started adding additional tickets until they took then hint and moved it (it seems 7 was the threshold of their stubbornness)
Why don`t you tow them away, and impound them…boom, double bubble, space created, and you earn some much needed cash…
On a more serious note, it`s got to the stage now for us, where we just refuse the work down to London / Kent…its just not worth it with all the grief regarding parking, and the all round nastiness of the area…sad, but true
I’m sorry, but seeing that the rest of the country, including your colleagues, try actively to stop us from parking in laybys, upto and including waking drivers up in the middle of the night to harras them, I’m dubious about your motives.
Totally off topic, lack of suitable facilities for us driver’s is an on going problem, central government say it’s a local government issue, they say we have no money to address the issues, when a plan is formulated the nimbys kick off, so we’re forced to use industrial estates, and lay-bys which are unsuitable, then the local businesses kick off, due to the amount off lgv,using the area, along comes council, imposes a no parking regime, let’s just move the issue somewhere else…
As for the trailer advertising hoardings, just tow em away, most of them trailers are un-roadworthy, so there’s an offence to start.
Personally, I would note the ground damage before and after laybys caused by vehicles needing to park unable to get into the main layby because it’s full.
Link above is the A1089 on the run down into Tilbury in 2012, the council responded to this and other similar situations by closing all laybys in the region.
Below is the same place in 2017 with a crash barrier installed along the length of the layby to prevent parking and only exacerbating the problem.
Might help your case, it might not, I don’t know. What I do know is councils ignoring the problem and trying to make them go away by getting rid of laybys only makes things far worse for us who already had massive parking issues before they started closing them.
I went over my driving hours recently, the lay-by I wanted to get into (on the A14) had a load theft hotspot trailer sat in it!
I do get the OP’s point though and have noticed a few advertising ones springing up, the hotspot warning one is fair enough, but I immediately thought of it when I read his post!
It’s not advertising related but last week someone had dumped a large roll on roll off skip full of scrap steel in a layby on A225 between the A20 at farningham and South Darenth.
That wanted shifting!
Arthurhucksake:
I went over my driving hours recently, the lay-by I wanted to get into (on the A14) had a load theft hotspot trailer sat in it!
I do get the OP’s point though and have noticed a few advertising ones springing up, the hotspot warning one is fair enough, but I immediately thought of it when I read his post!
I did as well, but thought better of it
Why do they dump those “hotspot” trailers in the middle of the lay-by…why not shunt it to the front or back, making everybody`s life slightly easier ?..is it me, or is it deliberate ?
I don’t think the police would come on this forum discussing issuing tickets to anyone.I imagine the chief constable would be very interested in this .
Beetlejuice:
I don’t think the police would come on this forum discussing issuing tickets to anyone.I imagine the chief constable would be very interested in this .
You’re right, they wouldn’t… I wonder who could be using yet another alias
Impersonating a police officer is a very serious offence, in today’s hysterical pc climate I expect the admin are recording IP’s and requesting credentials.
If the real deal could you come and arrest my neighbour, he is constantly walking the streets in possession of an offensive wife, oh and Harold over the road as well, his wife deliberately starts ■■■■■■■■■■ with the curtains open then shuts them before the money shot.
I have reported these crimes to my local bobby but he seems uninterested.
As far as lay-by parking goes, for me it’s a last resort but for many its first/second choice if their company doesn’t pay for parking. HGV facilities in the UK are poor as society wants the goods but not the trucks, let alone the drivers. For vehicles advertising in laybys, checking tax, insurance/roadworthiness is a start also look into whether they have ‘consent’…
I expect you are likely to get many questions on other issues
Rog, just an idea, to save this being a troll suspicion thread is there anyway of ratifying this is genuine by messaging him for kind verification? A visitor doesn’t know this place has become a troll nest recently. I mean if the OP is genuine would be a bit disappointing for him if he came on here and met negativity.
On the other hand! More than 50/50 this isn’t genuine given TNET form, so if this is another fishing post could save people taking the time to have their good faith and responses made an arse of?
I expect you are likely to get many questions on other issues
Rog, just an idea, to save this being a troll suspicion thread is there anyway of ratifying this is genuine by messaging him for kind verification? A visitor doesn’t know this place has become a troll nest recently…
A fair concern and for the very reason you gave FD, so let’s just say that a work’s email address was used.
I expect you are likely to get many questions on other issues
Rog, just an idea, to save this being a troll suspicion thread is there anyway of ratifying this is genuine by messaging him for kind verification? A visitor doesn’t know this place has become a troll nest recently…
A fair concern and for the very reason you gave FD, so let’s just say that a work’s email address was used.
Ah so it’s genuine. Well that’s good. Saves a lot of negativity and that way hopefully he’ll get respectful replies. Not often the authorities show an interest in actually helping road haulage so it’s to be welcomed. Look at all the threads about lorries and London
