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So you’re on the parish council and you are bombarded by complaints from residents because a combination of crap SatNav, poor signage and a company which doesn’t care means HGVs are churning up your village.
You complain to the company (they refuse to take your calls).
You complain to your district councillor (he doesn’t respond and hasn’t been seen in months)
You complain to the district council planners (they take months to respond and then decide there is nothing they can do)
You complain to the highways authority (they can help but it’s going to take time and it’s a bit complicated)
You complain to your county councillor (she’s sympathetic, nothing is done)
You complain to the police (oh, sorry are you still on hold?)
Alternative scenario.
You are a Lady and your husband is a Lord and you live on a route which these HGVs use and you are not at all happy about these dirty great vehicles crashing round the roads at all hours.
You complain directly to the leader of the county council who you know and a meeting involving the police, highways officials and the company responsible for these HGVs is arranged at a week’s notice.
From this evidence do I understand that the feudal system in rural areas is still with us or merely that all the people who should take responsibility only jump when the biggest foot connects with their 'no though route'?
Perhaps recruiting some landed gentry on to the parish council is the answer; but it seems a touch regressive.
4 comments
It works nearly every time apart from school appeals, which are more difficult.
Ditto for Police, Health, similar. Go to the top - it is then more likely to get worked on.
re: feudal system - I don't think so much that but people will more likely listen to people they know .. it's human nature.
Ring the company, and tell them the registration number. You then tell them that if you don't get a call back from the transport manager within the hour, you will ring the following people: VOSA, the Area Traffic Commissioner, and the council's anti-smoking hotline. You tell VOSA that the vehicles lights were faulty, you tell the TC the driver ignored the local weight limits, and you tell the Smoking Nazi the driver was smoking.
Grovelling apology guaranteed!
Both of you offer useful tactics.
I would add that we've employed the local press to fairly decent effect as well. It was a last resort for us as we tried to play by the rules but, done correctly, it can speed up action.
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