Went to do a delivery in a small village in county Durham yesterday. Whole village surrounded by 7.5 tonne access for only phoned up planners for advice telephone number for contact details was told of the planner it wasnt his job to help and gave me the phone number of another driver to as. No reply so took a chance this was the right access route to the farm using the truck nav which inicated it was a quater of a mile up the road. so went up it couldnt carry on and and after asking somebody was told it was on the other side of the village decided to go back the way i came. After a 10 mile trip through the countryside i found a layby cafe and asked if they knew of the farm and was given directions down another 7.5 tonne lane. the cafe owner said he was surprised i had been given any futher directions as a Stobards vehicle had completely demolished a house in the village doing the same delivery a year earlier. I followed the directions given me and yes it took me straight down a 7.5 tonne lane but the farm was there and that was the only way in and out. Whilst delivering the owner of the farm came up and said id knocked a concrete bollard down in my first attempt in the other lane. I checked the vehicle for damage there was none but reported it to the agency and the office. Today i had a call saying the matter had been reported to the police but to make matter worse im only covered for damage to the companies not third party damage! Stobards might be coming for the remedial money to be. which could run into a few grand. Anyone on the agencies had this problem with insurance before?
It’s not completely clear what you’re asking here, but as I understand it you were working for ESL as an agency driver and in that capacity maybe you caused some damage en route to a delivery?
If I’ve got that right then you need to tell them to F right off. It is THEIR onus to provide vehicle insurance, not yours. Any damage caused whilst carrying out your duties whilst unfortunate are NOT, repeat NOT your financial responsibility.
If whoever you work for continue to pursue this matter the only phrase you need to know is “so sue me”.
yes what they are saying is driver negligence insurance dosnt cover third party only stobards own vehicles and they might come after me for the cost incurred by the council. there was no damage to the vehicle i checked it out twice.
Where are Stobbards based and what kind of work do they do ?
eddie stobards biomas
Could you not have phoned the delivery point?
mac2505:
Went to do a delivery in a small village in county Durham yesterday. Whole village surrounded by 7.5 tonne access for only phoned up planners for advice telephone number for contact details was told of the planner it wasnt his job to help and gave me the phone number of another driver to as. No reply so took a chance this was the right access route to the farm using the truck nav which inicated it was a quater of a mile up the road. so went up it couldnt carry on and and after asking somebody was told it was on the other side of the village decided to go back the way i came. After a 10 mile trip through the countryside i found a layby cafe and asked if they knew of the farm and was given directions down another 7.5 tonne lane. the cafe owner said he was surprised i had been given any futher directions as a Stobards vehicle had completely demolished a house in the village doing the same delivery a year earlier. I followed the directions given me and yes it took me straight down a 7.5 tonne lane but the farm was there and that was the only way in and out. Whilst delivering the owner of the farm came up and said id knocked a concrete bollard down in my first attempt in the other lane. I checked the vehicle for damage there was none but reported it to the agency and the office. Today i had a call saying the matter had been reported to the police but to make matter worse im only covered for damage to the companies not third party damage! Stobards might be coming for the remedial money to be. which could run into a few grand. Anyone on the agencies had this problem with insurance before?
Is it stobbards or stobards? Two different firms!
Eddie Stobart sorry crap speller
Not too hot with navigation either… 
i was waiting for that
mac2505:
Went to do a delivery in a small village in county Durham yesterday. Whole village surrounded by 7.5 tonne access for only phoned up planners for advice telephone number for contact details was told of the planner it wasnt his job to help and gave me the phone number of another driver to as. No reply so took a chance this was the right access route to the farm using the truck nav which inicated it was a quater of a mile up the road. so went up it couldnt carry on and and after asking somebody was told it was on the other side of the village decided to go back the way i came. After a 10 mile trip through the countryside i found a layby cafe and asked if they knew of the farm and was given directions down another 7.5 tonne lane. the cafe owner said he was surprised i had been given any futher directions as a Stobards vehicle had completely demolished a house in the village doing the same delivery a year earlier. I followed the directions given me and yes it took me straight down a 7.5 tonne lane but the farm was there and that was the only way in and out. Whilst delivering the owner of the farm came up and said id knocked a concrete bollard down in my first attempt in the other lane. I checked the vehicle for damage there was none but reported it to the agency and the office. Today i had a call saying the matter had been reported to the police but to make matter worse im only covered for damage to the companies not third party damage! Stobards might be coming for the remedial money to be. which could run into a few grand. Anyone on the agencies had this problem with insurance before?
I want you to read this very carefully. Tell them to go and ■■■■ themselves. Them tell them you are going to report them to the police for not having third party insurance, which they do have, and
then tell them to go and ■■■■ themselves again and if you can reach the ■■■■ who told you that, hit him a slap in the chops. I would say what I really think but it’s a family form;-) who do these people think they are?
I would tell them to F.R.O. too. So should the agency to be fair.
Especially since it is not conclusive that you damaged the concrete block.
deny everything
have they got you on camera causing said damage?
thought not…
So ESL allowed you to drive a vehicle not insured against 3rd party losses? 
I highly doubt this is the case and someone (agency) is trying to pull a fast one.
I’d tell them to sue me.
A stobart truck had completely demolished a house the previous year .pics please.
mac2505:
Today i had a call saying the matter had been reported to the police but to make matter worse im only covered for damage to the companies not third party damage! Stobards might be coming for the remedial money to be. which could run into a few grand. Anyone on the agencies had this problem with insurance before?
Load of crap. You’re covered by Stobarts insurance. Its their problem. Tell em to sod off.
mac2505:
yes what they are saying is driver negligence insurance dosnt cover third party only stobards own vehicles and they might come after me for the cost incurred by the council. there was no damage to the vehicle i checked it out twice.
No such thing as driver negligence insurance. Its a lie made up by agencies and they’ve been saying it so long they actually believe its true. What the agency may have is an agreement to compensate their clients for out of pocket losses but that is not driver neg insurance.
Stobart will have to cover any claim with their insurance and then its up to them and the agency to sort it out but it is not your problem. Do not pay any money demanded.
Surely if you’ve driven around the village they’ll be after their extra fuel from you too, and if you could chip in towards the tax too that would be great
Just to echo what others have said - tell 'em to ■■■■ off.
In this game where your manoeuvring large vehicles around tight places it’s inevitable that accidents will occasionally happen & firms have insurance for such purposes. Would their own drivers be forking out?
Just the agency trying to keep in Stobbies good books by offering compensation… from your back pocket.