Suspension of site due to lack of interest and support.

The first 'post' on this site was back in 2009, this was 5 years after our campaign had been started.  At the time there was significant local interest and support, however, and in spite of requests for individuals to get involved, active interest disappeared some while ago.   Nothing whatsoever has been done by councillors or MPs to address either the speeding problem or the HGV traffic issue, both of which are considerably worse now than back in 2004.  One or two individuals complaining is of no concern to our elected representatives, nor as we have seen to the 'jobsworth' council officers tasked with dealing with such matters.

Anyone wishing to get involved with a view to resurrecting the campaign should contact Ian, email address lawrrag@gmail.com 

Jackanory Time - Lib Dems

It's coming up to local election time when the prospective political parties will be posting their campaign blurb.  The Liberal Democrats have been quick off the mark and we were intrigued to see the claims made about 'Tackling Speeding' (WHERE?), and 'Supporting local groups' (WHICH?):

The LAWRRAG campaign is the longest running campaign in the area and although Lib Dem Councillor Golton is fully aware of the campaign having been 'involved' in the early years, the Lib Dems have done nothing to 'tackle' the speeding we have campaigned about for 13 years, and Councillor Golton hasn't responded to email correspondence with LAWRRAG for a number of years, let alone offered any support.

Staggering Hypocrisy from Labour councillor!

LAWRRAG is a non-political group and at various stages during the past 13 years  representatives from each of the three main political parties have been involved, each always being quick to blame the 'opposition' for their lack of any action. A typical example of this can be seen below 'Lib Dems - Soft on Speeding', put out by Karen Bruce, then a Labour Party campaigner.  Given that since this first appeared we have a Labour led council, and that two out of the three Ward councillors are Labour members this really does take the biscuit!

Traffic NOISE and health

From day one of the campaign the number one complaint from local residents has been the problem of night time noise, some from speeding traffic but primarily noise from HGV traffic, (some of which is also speeding).  Reference to government Planning and Transport policy guidelines, on keeping HGV traffic away from residential areas, particularly through the night is to be found elsewhere on this site.  All of this has been brought to the attention of councillors and MP alike, many times over and has been ignored.  The health issues associated with traffic noise and disturbed sleep are well researched and documented.  The following is just a small snippet of what can be found on the World Health Organisation website:

2017 - YEAR 13 - Resumption of service

As we move into year 13 with still no sign of intent upon the part of those elected to serve the community to resolve the speeding traffic and HGV issues blighting the area, it has been decided to resume this blog site and remind concerned residents of who said or 'promised' what, what has happened so far, and what we action we can look forward to in the future. 

May 2016 Update

The day of local elections, and the eve of broken promises! 

There will undoubtedly be 'support' for the LAWRRAG campaign from whoever the councillors are for the next 12 months.  The one thing the campaign hasn't gone short of since 2004 is 'support' from councillors and MPs alike.  'Action' on the other hand, which is the thing that is needed, has been non-existent apart from one elected individual who did more than his fair share but came up against the might of petty bureaucracy, and arrogance from non-elected council officers.  The writer attended many meetings with this individual and can confirm that he genuinely did care and did try, which is more than can be said for any councillor or MP since.

The simple fact is that the campaign started in 2004 and things are worse now that they were back then!  For those of us working in the real world this is FAILURE, our elected representatives (those that still communicate with us) seem to believe that as long as meetings are held every few months then progress is being made!

It is interesting to see that one local councillor is a candidate for the position of West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner (and may well be that person by 6 May 2016).  That councillor is aware that every day the law is being broken by thousands of motorists speeding along the A639/A642 and yet has done nothing to deal with this!

Money for old rope!

More HGV traffic?

This could be a long way off ... it might never happen (pigs might fly), but it is worth considering what the HGV traffic impact on the area will be if either or both of the proposed incinerator sites are built, at the former Skelton Grange power station site.  See the article below from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Saturday 11 August 2012.

Click on image to view

Forget the general environmental impact upon the area, this is the 'dumping ground' of Leeds, it will happen.  We need our councillors to make sure the potential traffic problem is dealt with ... and not listen to the usual half-wits proclaiming that there won't be any impact.

Two years wasted!

We first posted about this back in April 2010, and it now looks as though planning approval for the development of a 100 acre business park and distribution centre, just across the M62 is all-but 'rubber stamped'.
  
Setting aside the arguments about the loss of greenbelt land, and the need for a new stadium for Wakefield Wildcats rugby club, the traffic impact upon our area could be massive!  The transport plan supporting the planning application points to the proximity of the M62, and the M1, implying that this will be the main route for all heavy traffic. This same argument was probably put forward in the case of the major distribution developments at Stourton, notably ARLA, and the Royal Mail, and highways personnel, in answer to our concerns about the East Leeds link road, stated that there would not be any traffic impact upon the A639/A642, as a result of that road opening - THERE IS!


In the July edition of the Rothwell and District Record, Councillor Golton is reported as having said:


"This is obviously a very disappointing decision for local residents." .........
"I have no issue with the stadium element of the plan and I sympathise with the Wildcats' need to secure the future of their club.  But I remain very concerned about the effect that a haulage distribution centre and business park will have about the congestion that this will cause in the area" 

WELL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT THEN! 


  

It can, and does, happen!

We're a little late with this one, it is an article from the YEP, 23 June 2012 about the success of a campaign by schoolchildren in Cookridge to have the speed limit 'slashed' to 20mph.  'Well done' to them.  We have never asked for a speed reduction, just an enforcement of the current speed limit, but what this does show is that some members of the public are listened to, and that some councillors (appear to) take action on behalf of their local communities. 

click to view

Far from a reduction in the speed limit along the A639/A642, Leeds City council highways personnel suggested increasing the limit! 


With regard to what if anything is happening around Royds School, interested parties will have to check with the local councillors, who took it upon themselves to deal with traffic and road safety issues that were of concern to the school ... 7 years ago. 

Political Irony?

It seems that it is OK to acknowledge that passing HGVs and other trucks might keep people awake at night ...  IF you are using it for poltical means, as may be seen in this letter that appears in this month's Rothwell and District Record, from Councillor Stewart Golton:

(Double click to view clearly)

We have been asking to Cllr Golton to do something about the existing problem of disturbance from night time HGV traffic for years now but clearly the complaints of local residents are of no consequence!

WHAT IS GOING ON!

It's almost 12 months since we reported on the meeting held with Karen Bruce (11 June 2011), and it really did look then as though we might just somewhere.  Then on 19 December 2011 we posted a comment from our MP, Alec Shelbrooke, confiming that the installation of speed cameras is at the discretion of the local authority.  It is now 25 May 2012 and what has happened?  NOTHING!

For the motorists amongst us who travel in and around Leeds, speed cameras are a reasonably common occurence, what makes the local residents of those areas more important than us?  THEY ARE BETTER SUPPORTED BY THEIR LOCAL COUNCILLORS, & MPs!

LAWRRAG has no political affiliations, we've had many years of hot air and inaction from Liberal Democrats councillors, and a Labour MP, we've had verbal support from a Labour Councillor, and a Conservative MP, but that's all!

Back to square one!

Recent posts have made mention of a meeting with Karen Bruce, and possibly a Leeds City Council executive board member. Unfortunately we are being asked for the umpteenth time to spell out what the problems are, and what it is we hope to acheive. For the casual observer this might seem to be a minor irritation, but what it effectively means is that inspite of 6 years of campaigning, nothing we have said or done has registered.

Local Forum

Not directly related to traffic issues but the writer recently came across this local Forum

http://www.ls26.org.uk/forum/index.php

Within the Politically Speaking section there are some interesting views and opinions about the work of local councillors.

Ward councillor support - Update

Karen Bruce has made the following statement of support for inclusion in a short article expected to appear in the July issue of the Rothwell and District Record:

"I recognise that speeding traffic and lorries are a very serious issue within the ward which has long needed tackling and I will support residents to try to do what I can to help."

The purpose of the article is to show that the campaign continues, and to attract more active support.

Meeting with ward councillor, Karen Bruce

On Wednesday 8th of June a small group met with Karen Bruce, and her husband Stuart, to discuss the traffic issues causing greatest concern to the local community. Karen has actively supported the campaign in the past and is under no illusion that things have got better.

A number of fresh ideas were raised as to how things might be moved forward, and these will be reported upon as and when there is 'more meat on the bones'.

The meeting was encouraging, and thanks go out to Karen and Stuart, for their time, and input.

A further meeting is scheduled for July and dates and times will be posted once determined.

Thanks for the positive response.

The email that went out yesterday asking if any supporters would like to meet with newly elected councillor Karen Bruce was met with a very positive, response.

Proposed dates and times will be circulated as soon as available.

Congratulations, and a glimmer of hope?

Congratulations to Karen Bruce, for her election as a ward councillor.

Karen has expressed her support for our cause in the past, and has offered to meet with us to discuss the problems in greater detail.

Further information will be posted when more details are available.

Queries

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!

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!

'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