Drivers and their problems

Crackdown on school-run driving starts as parents told they could face fines on these streets

CCTV and ANPR technology rolled out to enforce rules which have been largely ignored by parents

Walsall Council said the rules had previously been in place but had been largely ignored, hence the decision to put up CCTV cameras and make use of ANPR technology. 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/crackdown-school-run-driv...

This is an interesting tale as it will be played out across the land as councils look for still more budget cuts and now it’s children in the front line of all this. The article goes on a bit as drivers implode (on themselves) that that road is not safe for little Jimmy to walk along.  In reality, less school buses means ever more cars - “it’s too dangerous to walk to school - here, I’ll drive you.”

In rural areas, A roads and many B roads are entirely the domain of the car now. As a walker you tolerate unclassified roads, but keep most of them to a minimum.  It’s been quite the land grab since the 1940s when the law on free school buses was framed. 

A sample of that driver implosion: “Local Facebook pages have gone a bit mad on the subject," she said. "If you're in Truthwall, walking that main road when hedges and verges are often overgrown in the summer is hazardous. It's a narrow road where if a double-decker bus comes there's not enough room for a car. It's not a wide road and the national speed limit is on part of it - it's just not a safe route to have youngsters walking." Well, quite, no-one would choose that for themselves. 

Governments have flunked changing the law since the 1940s.  Summarised at the end of the article, the “3 mile rule” (two if in years 1-3) is based on measured walking routes, which gets to be fun in rural areas.  The law has been interpreted that the child is “accompanied as necessary”. 

If eligible, you get free home/school transport, normally a bus pass, if your home / school walking distance is over the limit. That of course has the added benefits of being warm/dry and safe (personal safety, road safety), so is highly prized and fought over as it’s a handy timesaver. 

As ever, drivers write themselves and their choices out of the story: “We cannot rear our children the way we were reared - that world sadly no longer exists.” 

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cutting-school-bus-route...

Uninsured Devon driver bizarrely accuses police officer of committing treason

'I’m sure the magistrates are going to enjoy her reasoning

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/uninsured-devon-driver-bizarre...

Vandalism at Oare Marshes Kent Wildlife Trust car park causes thousands of pounds worth of damage

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/monopoly-themed-vandalism-leav...

Amazon removes cones from Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate

But Mr Journalist, you haven't mentioned the double yellow lines? I grant you that the cone placing we see is a bit random, but they must be a factor here? 

PS if you drive up to where the lorry is now, there's some sort of rest area, could even be an enclosure for "Amazon Flex" drivers. Looks delightful. 

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23820333.amazon-removes-cones-hampt...

article builds the case for 20 mph limits

I tried to drive at 20mph around rural Huddersfield but at times it did not feel safe

Wales has introduced 20mph speed limit but how would drivers react to me driving at 20mph on local roads in Huddersfield?

"I soon found that sticking to 20mph isn't straightforward and, on roads with higher speed limits, it probably isn't safe to do so with the current laws because other drivers can become impatient."

wait 'til you hear about cycling, Andrew 

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/news-opinion/tried-drive-20mph-aroun...

Residents in Sittingbourne speak out about gridlock caused by A249 roadworks at Grovehurst and Stockbury roundabouts

Rachel King, co-owner of Body Care hair and beauty salon in School Lane, says she expects to lose valuable appointment time due to customers being late due to traffic.

She said: “The works are going to be a pain and it is a nightmare getting home.

“My clients who live in Iwade won't be able to leave the village.”

The Medway resident added that she “wouldn't want to live in the village because of traffic”.

Amy Attwood, a company director at Novia Limited, said her employees were “imprisoned” on the Eurolink estate in Kemsley, thanks to the multiple road closures.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sittingbourne/news/soon-we-won-t-be-able-to...

'Inconsiderate' drivers parking near Southend Sainsbury's in middle of busy road to avoid paying charges

https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/inconsiderate-drivers-parking...

Falmer: Train (SIC) gets stuck underneath railway bridge

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23824355.falmer-train-gets-stuck-underne...

'Bring back Fezzy Park' - Calls for permanent Stoke-on-Trent base for boy racers

Let them have their fun latest- this sounds like yet another driver subsidy in the making here - no sign of anyone putting their hand in their pocket 

Keiron Horne said: "I don’t see what the problem is. You have people on nights out drunk, drugged-up and causing fights whereas we only have a good time and a laugh. All the people that disagree envy the fact that some of the cars are things they can only dream about..."  nope, Keiron

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/bring-back-fezz...