Cycling UK Forum

On my way home from work I have a short stretch of "A" road which is single carriageway, no cycle lane and a 40mph limit. Its not long, but its one of the least pleasant and most hazardous bits of my cycle. Alongside it is a piece of wasteland on which is being built some affordable housing.

On Tuesday I found that the lorries delivering to the site had left a trail of mud, debris and other rubble in the road . The carriageway itself was clear but needless to say all the crud had been pushed to the side of the road for the cyclists to go through. By Wednesday I was getting a bit fed up with this, and so yesterday morning emailed my council Customer Service Centre and asked for something to be done. I got an acknowledgement and to my surprise by the time I went home it had all been swept! I was most impressed....I'm all for throwing brickbats at my local council (who I also work for) but this time credit where its due.

I did email my thanks back to the CSC - I know they get an awful lot of complaints and very little thanks.

Jan

AFAIK this is the responsiblity of the contractor. It's a criminal offence to deposit muck on the highway.

Criminal offence?
Gosh, what a lot of criminals there must be in the farming community!

I thought that for farmers they had to put up warning signs and make sure that the road was cleared within a set period ?

I had similar success to yours Jan, a local lane that was signposted as a cycle route had upto a 2 inch depth of mud (I say 'mud'...but from the smell...) right across it. This was out side a farm, on a steepish hill, on a blind corner. I was going slowly when I met it, luckily I had wide grippy tyres on, but still ended up doing a 180. An email to the council resulted in them quickly contacting the farmer and the road was soon clean enough to eat your dinner off. So, I too say well done to the councils!

It's pleasing to get service like that.
Last year I fired off an e mail to the local council highways dept about the damaged lighting, overhanging branches and fly tipped hardcore and debris blocking a local cycle path.
I got 5 replies from the various depts who had responsibility for the path. Added to that the Road safety dept sent me a local cycle path map with an alternate route suggested until they could complete the work.
I think the fear that if there is a accident after they have been notified of the danger would lead to a potentially costly law suit has galvanised councils into action.
But it does feel like you're getting value for money

It's an offence only if not cleared as reasonably practicable. Of course a road users opion of the timescale involved might differ from a farmer plowing several fields and using the road to get between them. Perhaps at the end of the day if you are lucky.


Road Scot Act 1984 Sec 95 (I presume Englandshire law will be similar)
Deposit of mud from vehicles on roads
(1)A person who, being in charge of a vehicle on a road, allows such quantity of mud, clay, farmyard manure, or other material (of whatever nature) from the vehicle, or from anything carried on the vehicle, to drop onto or be deposited on the road so as to create, or be likely to create, a danger or substantial inconvenience to road users and who fails to remove the material as soon as reasonably practicable commits an offence.

irc wrote:It's an offence only if not cleared as reasonably practicable. Of course a road users opion of the timescale involved might differ from a farmer plowing several fields and using the road to get between them. Perhaps at the end of the day if you are lucky.


Road Scot Act 1984 Sec 95 (I presume Englandshire law will be similar)
Deposit of mud from vehicles on roads
(1)A person who, being in charge of a vehicle on a road, allows such quantity of mud, clay, farmyard manure, or other material (of whatever nature) from the vehicle, or from anything carried on the vehicle, to drop onto or be deposited on the road so as to create, or be likely to create, a danger or substantial inconvenience to road users and who fails to remove the material as soon as reasonably practicable commits an offence.

By the end of the day the road will have been cleaned up by the torrential rain, if I recall Scottish weather correctly.

This from Wiltshire Council seems pretty clear: (Who said "As clear as mud" )

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtran ... idance.htm

I agree with the comment on farmers....I live in Ayrshire and cycle mainly on rural roads where the amount of crud on the road is hard to believe at certain times on the farming calendar. I don't believe farmers are remotely interested in keeping the road in a reasonable state for cars, never mind bikes

I'm sure that all local authorities would like to offer a service of a 'blue riband' standard and any money left after paying the monstrous salaries to their chief executives and senior officials will be spent delivering it

I'm wondering if I should wear goggles when cycling?

Only the amount of stone chips that have hit my car windscreen lately means I stand a good chance of having an eye taken out if on my bike. Has anyone ever been hit by a stone chipping?

I always wear cycling glasses to stop all the crud getting into my eyes.

gilesjuk wrote:I'm wondering if I should wear goggles when cycling?

Only the amount of stone chips that have hit my car windscreen lately means I stand a good chance of having an eye taken out if on my bike. Has anyone ever been hit by a stone chipping?

On the second day of LeJog I got hit in the teeth by a stone fired from under a car tyre. I saw it coming and ducked, but it still hit me. It did not lasting damage but it felt as if it had knocked my teeth out. My mouth was numb for part of the morning.

It is for that reason that I almost always wear eye protection. I can't imagine what it would have been like if the stone hit me in the eye! I've been hit by insects including being stung by wasps. Again another good reason for the glasses.

I realised tonight where the rubble from the building site has gone now its not in the road....its spread all over the pavement! I guess the road sweeper just came along and blew it all firmly to the left. its been windy here today but not enough to sweep all the rubble onto the pavement.


You couldn't possibly guess that this borough has the highest level of car ownership in London could you? Anything to keep the road clear...

Jan

I suspect the cleaning would have been done even quicker if you had found the site manager and had a word. One of their main tasks is to keep the peace with residents and, if the solution is within their control, they usually move very quicly to please. My guess would be that the council rang him in response to your complaint and he jumped.