Map – HGV Route

Given the content of the planning policy guideline - 29 June 2009 entry, the government white paper on transport - 14 July 2009 entry, and the fact that two of the major 24/7 HGV operators in Stourton have already confirmed that it would not effect their operations if there was an HGV ban along Leeds/Wakefield Road, the question remains – Why doesn’t the council, or our councillors, support the calls for an HGV ban, full or night-time?

Leeds City Council and freight transport

Do officers within the council understand just how detrimental the noise,vibration, and disturbance from HGV traffic can be? Well yes they do actually! -

In November 2005, when we were still trying to get the council to listen to us, a highways department report (Design and Cost Report -Capital Scheme No: 01881 - Agenda Item No 1653/2005) was put to the council Director of City Services, supporting an HGV ban on Cross Green Lane, Cross Green. One of the reasons for the HGV ban was:

2.4 Many operators run 24 hours a day 7 days a week and so there is no respite for the residents.

Section 4.1 confirms the support of the local councillors.

At the time correspondence was sent from us to the leader of the council, Andrew Carter, asking why we weren't regarded with the same concern. We'll let you know the answer when we receive a reply!

The Government and freight transport

The Government's The future of transport - White Paper CM6234 is one of the lead national strategy documents relative to transport, if you want to check it out click here.

'Chapter 8, Freight: moving goods more efficiently' contains this section:

Local and regional regulation - we will encourage local authorities to consider how their various regulatory powers that relate to freight transport (traffic and parking regulations, night-time bans, planning powers and the use of planning conditions) can be co-ordinated to make life easier for businesses while protecting the interests of local people. Freight policy also needs to be considered by regional bodies and we will encourage them to think strategically about freight, especially in the context of regional strategies on transport, housing and spacial development.

There is a presumption that local authorities will put people before traffic.

Traffic, Property values, & Council tax

The question has been asked many times - What do we have to do to get the council to listen to the concerns of local residents? Readers will see from other postings that it is within the power of the local authority to address some of traffic problems we face, but will also see that it is as a direct result of the actions of council departments that these problems have come about! As ratepayers we are all paying for a service that we do not receive, a service that is contributing to the devaluation of our property and to a deterioration of our 'quality of life'.

For those of you that consider that last part to be too strong a claim, consider this - the current council tax bands are based upon the amount that a property might have fetched if it had been sold on the open market on 1st April 1991. It is an indisputable fact that 'traffic' impacts upon property values, the worse the traffic, the less appealing your property becomes, the less you property is worth - this is devaluation. The traffic situation has worsened significantly over the last 8 years, let alone the 18 years since 1991, and it is extremely probable that a revaluation today would put some properties in a lower council tax band. In comparative terms your property is losing value, yet you are expected to still pay the same rates - something not right there.

The good news is that the Valuation Office acknowledges that changes happen, and there are circumstances where it is in order to ask for a revaluation assessment, the list of circumstances can be found by clicking here but the section relevant to our case is:

3. If there has been physical changes in your area which could affect the value of your property.

This includes roads, and developments.

A hundred or so applications to the Valuation Office might just make the 'powers that be' sit up and take notice. Lower rateable values means loss of revenue and the probability of refunds. Money talks. Perhaps then they might start to take our claims seriously?

Speed camera signs go up

Speed Camera signs have been put up along Leeds/Wakefield Road, at the time of writing they've been in place for about a week. We had sent a couple of emails asking when this latest 'solution' was going to be implemented, and have still to receive a reply, so this activity came as a surprise to all of us.

These are 'mobile speed camera' signs advising motorists that there may be portable speed cameras in operation, usually operating from the back of a van.

It's fair to say that the signs have caused uncertainty, with some drivers sticking within the 40mph limit, whilst other go sailing by at well over 40mph. For those still speeding it can't be down to the lack of a clear warning, there are plenty of signs!

Local councillors

The locally elected councillors have a key role to play in campaigns such as ours, the following is an extract from the Leeds City Council web page Councillors' roles and responsibilities -

Why are councillors important?

Leeds councillors provide a voice to the people living in the ward that they represent. They are aware of the needs of their community and are in touch with the issues that local people face.

As well as influencing council decisions on funding and development, they work with other organisations, such as the police, local schools and health services to help bring about improvements to services and the environment for their community.

Worth reading more than once!

The email contact details for our councillors are:

Stewart Golton - stewart.golton@leeds.gov.uk
Steve Smith - steve.cllr.smith@leeds.gov.uk
Don Wilson - donald.wilson@leeds.gov.uk

or they can be contacted on your behalf through Lawrrag.

To find out what's 'hot' and what the councillors are doing for the community check out their web sites - Stewart Golton Steve Smith Don Wilson