Highways Agency sucks

[bassman]

WhyWhy Why

Do the highways agency have 4 wheel vehicles on the motorways when all they do is sit behind a broken down vehicle and wait for the recovery company to turn up.

Even in roadworks they will not move or tow the broken down obstruction to the nearest safe place off or on the motorway.

A transit van broken down on a junction on the slip road of the motorway M62 3 onboard drive straight past and trafic is congested at home time, eventually got past and found them sitting outsided B/king in St Helens.

M40 same type of thing why give them a Mitsibushi if they are not going to use it to its full use.A42 blocking nearside lane 200 metres from slip road again teatime traffick for crying out loud pull the broken down car out of the road harms way keep traffic moving.

Transit pick up would do, to carry more cones so that they can close of a bigger section of road.

Small rant but will update with more at later date

 

[spinlondon]

As I understand it, they are not insured to remove vehicles.

 

[Apache]

I take your point! A towing bar wouldn't take up much space and would get things moving much faster!

Suppose 4X4 so can get around in snow and drive on verges?

They do a bloody good job of highlighting broken down vehicles and they do slow people who are speeding down - thinking they are police!



I have mixed feelings, but think on the whole they are a good idea.

 

[bassman]

I take your point! A towing bar wouldn't take up much space and would get things moving much faster!Suppose 4X4 so can get around in snow and drive on verges?

They do a bloody good job of highlighting broken down vehicles and they do slow people who are speeding down - thinking they are police!



I have mixed feelings, but think on the whole they are a good idea.

Bah Humbug

My point they are acting as plastic traffic police, any one can highlight the broken down vehicle with the amount of intensity lighting that they carry.

So they could do it with a transit or small van.

Never seen them drive on verges come to think of it not seen any out in this weather, scared to get thier Mitsi's dirty.

Still think they havent helped the traffic flow.

 

[spinlondon]

Just got this from one of my mates in HATO, I asked him why they don't remove broken down vehicles.

It used to be the case that we didn't remove broken down vehicles, unless they were live lane. Even then, they were only dragged to the hard shoulder.

The reason we didn't remove them from the motorway completely was, we've had no training in recovery work, so we're leaving ourselves open to complaints from the owner if we damage their vehicle.

Our tow straps are only rated to pull 3 tons, so that's only cars and small vans.

Lastly the major VRO's would kick off big time if we start taking work off them after they've invested a lot of money on training, kit and vehicles.

To that end as we realise that there are people without recovery, so after a long consultation, we now have our own recovery scheme aimed at getting broken down and accident damaged vehicles removed from the motorway.

It works along the lines of the police scheme. The car can get lifted at the owners request or compulsory after 2 hrs or following an RTC when the road needs reopening ASAP. Hope this helps, any more questions dont hesitate to ask, cheers THM

VROs are Vehicle Recovery Operators.

The Police scheme works, by them calling out a local authorised VRO, but if I recall correctly, their scheme had a time limit of just half an hour.

Hope this helps explain.

As to why they have to have 4 wheel drive trucks, I don't know. I didn't ask him.

 

[a1]

It all comes down to Insurance and EVEN Worse - Health & Safety!

 

[a1]

It all comes down to Insurance and EVEN Worse - Health & Safety!

Sorry - didn't see Spin's reply above - Scan reading. :_|

Anyhow - He has it straight from the horses Mouth.

On a seperate Note.

I have been looking after our road, Pavements and Entrances to Elderly peoples homes by us, by means of "Gritting".

I would travel in my car to grit boxes and get it.

I knew the way that the H&S were going it wouldn't be long - BUT, this morning on the radio, the Councils and H&E were warning for the public not to grit outside, because if someone slipped after that person had griited - then the person that slipped could sue the person who laid the grit. FFS.

Yes, I knew that - But to hear it on the radio Just cheesed me off.

 

[Andy™]

they are useless - seen many times when a car has been off road (i.e A1 with verge), everything moving nicely around car - then they turn up and shut a lane...

as to the 4x4, i have no idea. after all, they dont actually need a 4x4, a transit connect would be enough. and probably something smaller like an astra van would also do.

so much for the government and hating 4x4's!

i guess they are useful if you have them sitting behind you when your broken down though, especially if your changing a tyre or stopped in a bad place, so its not all bad

 

[aidanb19]

Even a Ford Ranger for example,

 

[Chuck U Farley]

As soon as you see the picture of the Chief Executive, Graham Dalton, you know they are going to be hopeless. I mean, bad rug or what? ROTFWL

http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic/12769.aspx

 

[aidanb19]

Sad thing is, look at the vacancies page and the pay is the same if not more than many advertised electrician jobs.

Then again, some GCSEs and 6 months experience with customers are pretty high requirements.

 

[bassman]

Now that the weather has changed the vehicles will be out and about again.(4 wheel drives)

Monday went to Leeds and Wakefield saw one parked on the slip road onto the M1 south parked behind a large yellow H/ageny lorry with all it lights on, why the lorry had more light than the mitsibushi.All the rest probaly parked up somewhere.

went to Maidstone and Dover on wednesday again none spotted on the M! M25 or M20 until the return journey saw one parked up at the services on the M1 blue boarservices .

What a waste of money get them on a transit pickup with tarmac to repair the potholes at least they would be doing something usefull.

Lets see how many I see on Monday M42 M5 M4 on way to Wiltshire now the weather has changed.

 

[Andy™]

apparantly, they are told to park up often and not drive all day - if driving all day they do too many miles

 

[sellers]

we've managed for years without them, so why do we suddenly need them? Big waste of money. Should have just made it law to carry a triangle and hi vis jackets like they do abroad.