In answer to a number of queries ....
NO - We still haven't received any response from councillors or MP, to our Decemeber email, or the letter in Rothwell and District Record.
YES - There is a 'Duty of Care' issue, but it's extremely doubtful that the full implications of this have been grasped!
Friday, 25 February 2011
Monday, 14 February 2011
Trust?
LAWRRAG has no political allegiance, however on Thursday 6 August 2009 we posted the following:
Meeting with Shadow Transport Minister
On Monday 3rd August, a small delegation of local residents had a brief and informal meeting with Alec Shelbrooke, Conservative parliamentary candidate for this area, and Robert Goodwill MP, Shadow Transport Minister. The meeting was held in a lay-by on Leeds Road and above the noise of the traffic, and within feet of speeding HGV's, the concerns of local residents were outlined to Robert Goodwill who listened and commented understandingly.
Special thanks must be given to Alec Shelbrooke for arranging the meeting and for contributing positively on our behalf.
Both Robert Goodwill, and Alec Shelbrooke, were extremely scathing of the attitudes being shown by Leeds City Council, and the local Councillors, and if the Conservatives came to power things would be very different!
Meeting with Shadow Transport Minister
On Monday 3rd August, a small delegation of local residents had a brief and informal meeting with Alec Shelbrooke, Conservative parliamentary candidate for this area, and Robert Goodwill MP, Shadow Transport Minister. The meeting was held in a lay-by on Leeds Road and above the noise of the traffic, and within feet of speeding HGV's, the concerns of local residents were outlined to Robert Goodwill who listened and commented understandingly.
Special thanks must be given to Alec Shelbrooke for arranging the meeting and for contributing positively on our behalf.
Both Robert Goodwill, and Alec Shelbrooke, were extremely scathing of the attitudes being shown by Leeds City Council, and the local Councillors, and if the Conservatives came to power things would be very different!
Existing Guidelines and Policies
We have regularly made reference to existing guidelines and policies in place to protect individuals and communities from traffic noise and disturbance. Access to some of the key documents can be obtained through 'Useful Links' in the right hand column. At least one of our contributors works in the property development and design fields and is able to confirm that these policies are used on a daily basis by local authority planning departments throughout the country, to control development. One particularly relevent document is Planning Policy Guidance 13: Transport, and one simple and concise section from PPG 13 is section 46:
'...because of concerns over disturbance to residents'
Surely not the most difficult piece of text to understand?
Rothwell and District Record - Letter
We're pleased to say that the Rothwell and District Record still shows an interest in what we are doing. The following appeared as a letter in the February 2011 issue (Alec Shelbrook was asked for a comment on 22 December 2010, and the same email was also copied to Stewart Golton, neither has responded):
A642/A639 - What’s in store for 2011?
It should be said at the outset that both Councillor Golton and, Alec Shelbrooke MP were asked for a comment prior to this being written, but one month on replies are still awaited.
As a result of local campaign, well documented on our blog site, www.lawrrag.blogspot.com, in December 2004, after 12 months of denial, senior council officers confirmed (as if it was needed!) that there was a ‘serious speeding problem’ along the A642/A639, and something should be done about it.
The intervening six years have seen traffic volumes rise, average speeds increase, still no safe crossing point for students walking to Royds School, noise levels increase, higher numbers of HGV vehicles, and as of now probably a five-fold increase in the number of night time HGV vehicles speeding through the area. In the face of local concern one council officer even suggested that the speed limit could be increased! Prior to the opening of the East Leeds link road we suggested that this would result in even more high speed, and HGV traffic, we were told by the ’experts’ that it wouldn’t ………….. IT HAS!
Be it through arrogance, ignorance, or denial, Leeds City Council heads, officers, and those elected to serve the community are able to ignore all government guidelines relative to Planning, Transport, Highways, and the Environment that are already in place to protect communities from the issues we face, and have shown nothing but contempt for the rights and concerns of scores of local residents.
We were advised at one stage that more council time and effort had gone into looking at (?) this road than any other in the area, and we are expected to be grateful for this, the flashing ‘slow down’ signs, that make no difference whatsoever, and the introduction last year of mobile speed cameras patrols.
With regard to the mobile speed cameras, when the camera van is there, traffic speed within 100metres of the van, is well within the limit, but this has raised a number of questions such as:
• As the van is there so infrequently is it accepted that it is OK to speed 99.99% of the time?
• If a mobile speed camera results in a reduction in speeding, why not simply stick a more cost effective speed camera up? Or even simpler, just park an empty ‘marked-up’ van there!
If you ignore a problem for long enough one of two things usually happens, the problem either goes away, or it worsens, and with the current lack of concern, responsibility, and duty of care, this problem continues to head in one direction only!
A642/A639 - What’s in store for 2011?
It should be said at the outset that both Councillor Golton and, Alec Shelbrooke MP were asked for a comment prior to this being written, but one month on replies are still awaited.
As a result of local campaign, well documented on our blog site, www.lawrrag.blogspot.com, in December 2004, after 12 months of denial, senior council officers confirmed (as if it was needed!) that there was a ‘serious speeding problem’ along the A642/A639, and something should be done about it.
The intervening six years have seen traffic volumes rise, average speeds increase, still no safe crossing point for students walking to Royds School, noise levels increase, higher numbers of HGV vehicles, and as of now probably a five-fold increase in the number of night time HGV vehicles speeding through the area. In the face of local concern one council officer even suggested that the speed limit could be increased! Prior to the opening of the East Leeds link road we suggested that this would result in even more high speed, and HGV traffic, we were told by the ’experts’ that it wouldn’t ………….. IT HAS!
Be it through arrogance, ignorance, or denial, Leeds City Council heads, officers, and those elected to serve the community are able to ignore all government guidelines relative to Planning, Transport, Highways, and the Environment that are already in place to protect communities from the issues we face, and have shown nothing but contempt for the rights and concerns of scores of local residents.
We were advised at one stage that more council time and effort had gone into looking at (?) this road than any other in the area, and we are expected to be grateful for this, the flashing ‘slow down’ signs, that make no difference whatsoever, and the introduction last year of mobile speed cameras patrols.
With regard to the mobile speed cameras, when the camera van is there, traffic speed within 100metres of the van, is well within the limit, but this has raised a number of questions such as:
• As the van is there so infrequently is it accepted that it is OK to speed 99.99% of the time?
• If a mobile speed camera results in a reduction in speeding, why not simply stick a more cost effective speed camera up? Or even simpler, just park an empty ‘marked-up’ van there!
If you ignore a problem for long enough one of two things usually happens, the problem either goes away, or it worsens, and with the current lack of concern, responsibility, and duty of care, this problem continues to head in one direction only!
Thursday, 20 January 2011
'Why are councillors important?'
The constant reference to councillors and their lack of support and action may bemuse or even offend some people but the truth of the matter is that it is councillors that hold the key. This has been expressed by MPs, and confirmed by the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside, 'that is what councillors are there for' we were told. Full support and concern has been expressed at key times, usually pre-election, but we have seen one councillor respond (those were the days) negatively to one of our requests, as a Leeds City Council employee - "We at Leeds City Council etc etc.........", and not as someone elected to SERVE the community.
The following first appeared as a post in July 2009 but is just as valid today -
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
The following first appeared as a post in July 2009 but is just as valid today -
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