Drivers and their problems

Remembrance event driving incident sees woman reported (paywall)

A woman has been reported for careless driving after her car hit two Brownies during a Remembrance Day service.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24787123.remembrance-event-driving-incident...

follow-up story

Bath cemetery closes its gates as 'disrespectful' parking damages graves

https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2024-12-12/cemetery-closes-its-gate...

Herefordshire man fined after throwing parking ticket

The owner of the vehicle, Mr Warren Alex Laszlo, emerged from a nearby pub, and shouted at the officer, before leaping onto the car bonnet, dramatically sprawling himself across it, and throwing the PCN to the ground before driving off.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/24785381.herefordshire-man-fined-thro...

when you source your news from Facebook/Nextdoor it's unnamed driver, and unnamed driver's uncle.  

Great time-saver you've got there, folks.

Anger as drivers ‘stuck for more than an hour’ in Watling Street car park in Canterbury

Speaking online, one person said a family member faced similar issues on Saturday.

They said: "My uncle paid £13.50 and it took an hour to get out, so by the time he got to the barrier they wanted another payment."

Another added they had to wait up to three-and-a-half hours during a recent trip.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/they-re-laughing-at-us-driv...

Clevedon: Controversial end of free parking 'will be monitored' after outcry

The money raising measure is being introduced as North Somerset Council is identifying cuts and savings to plug a £53m black hole in its budget across the next three years. At the meeting on October 16 where the council executive voted to bring in the charges, council leader Mike Bell said: “We cannot justify subsidising parking when we are having to cut care services for vulnerable adults and children.”

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/controversial-end-free-pa...

But you've still managed to scrape together a bunch of money in 2024/25 to have yet another go at Clevedon sea front because a few drivers didn't like it. 

Another one for "great time saver you've got there":

Driver demands changes as 'Werrington to Hanley journey now takes 50 minutes'

And works have just finished at lime kiln lights too!

One motorist has told StokeonTrentLive that the 20 minute rush-hour journey between Werrington and Hanley is now taking 50 minutes.

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/driver-demands-...

Route is 4.5 miles along the A52. Bus: 15-20 minutes, 4/hour.  In theory, a distance easily cycled although Outdoor Active takes off-road trails north and south of the A52 to avoid it. 

Hours of gridlock on A2 in Canterbury after men assaulted

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/gridlock-as-one-of-kent-s-b...

Greyhound wrote:
14/12/2024 17:09
What the hell is this world coming to makes you afraid to go out on the roads
 

17 minutes, you say, gosh say public transport users, how terrible for you. 

Live updates as 'absolute chaos' on Wolstanton Retail Park car park

It has taken 17 minutes to even get out of a parking space

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/live-updates-ab...

Drivers have spoken 

Plans for traffic restrictions across St James’ and St John’s in Tunbridge Wells scrapped

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-wells/news/controversial-plans-fo...

great timesaver you've got there: 

Car park chaos angering motorists at Bournemouth hospital

John phoned the hospital enquiry desk after waiting in traffic for 20 minutes, but was told that it's a regular occurrence due to rush hour traffic. 

He was sat waiting and decided to get out of his car where he found three streams of traffic attempting to leave out of one singular exit. 

John finally reached the main road after an hour and a half, and then had to face the traffic coming from The Village, Bournemouth Crown Courts and surrounding areas.

What was supposed to be a 10-minute drive turned into a journey of an hour and 45 minutes.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24807261.car-park-chaos-angering-...

spare a thought this Christmas for all the people driving to their spin class 

Traffic jams at Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre off St John’s Road makes people late for activities due to congestion

One person impacted by the situation is Lucy Mappley who plays netball at the sports hall every Monday evening. She says the lack of parking or clear route around the site causes delays.

The sheer volume of people parking in the leisure centre means that on one occasion, although she arrived at 7.05pm she could not get parked and into the hall until 7.18pm.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunbridge-wells/news/it-s-the-absolute-wors...

Driver fuming after ploughing into carpark barrier 'painted black'

Liam Dyson was attempting to turn his van around during Storm Bert when he crashed into a barrier that he hadn't even spotted.

Liam said: "When I said in the video that I wasn't concentrating, I meant that I wasn't concentrating on a bar in the sky. I was concentrating on the road and the traffic coming towards me, to move into the car park. You keep your eyes on the road don't you? Not up in the air.

"The rain was really coming down as well so that added to how disguised it was. It actually blended in with the brickwork of the building behind it from the angle I was coming at.

"It was around 3pm, so it wasn't going dark but because of the weather it was darker than it normally would have been."

Liam says this is the first time an incident like this has happened while out in his van - and many of the other barriers he has seen are yellow in colour.

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/driver-fuming-after-pl...

This one has made my day!

Trentham Estate shopper 'stuck on car park for three hours' demands action

They want a second entrance and exit

"Many visitors were left stranded, with some missing work shifts, others without essential supplies for their children, and several unable to return home to take necessary medication. This situation is not only inconvenient but also poses significant health and safety risks to those affected."

She added: “I studied environmental science, so when I see stuff like that, I do get angry. It’s just such an unnecessary waste. With big organisations like that I think they have a basic duty of care to look after the environment. Everyone in that car park had their engines running, in stop-start traffic, that went on for three to four hours. The amount of waste is just totally unnecessary.”

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/trentham-estate...

EDIT 

My guess is the problems arose because the A34 was congested (by cars) - that stretch looks like an alternative if sat-nav says there's a problem on the M6.  

So where's this second entrance of yours meant to be then, Genius? How would it improve things if built?  

https://trentham.co.uk/plan-your-visit/map-of-trentham-estate/

Looking forward to reading about Harried Henry and Indignant Ian as the Stoke Sentinel gently pokes fun at their subjects: 

Livid Lee in council dispute over £105 Hanley bus lane fine

Lee Davies says he was fleeing the Hanley riots - and Stoke-on-Trent City Council does not agree

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/livid-lee-counc...

Gobsmacked Gordon lands £100 KFC parking fine after taking too long eating

Now he's boycotting KFC

https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/gobsmacked-gordon-lan...

These two are a bit run-of-the-mill in themselves to be honest, although Gordon made it into the The Mirror from where the photo comes. He managed to spend over an hour at KFC on daddy/daughter stuff, but there's a one hour parking restriction. 
 
Lee says he did drive down the bus lane on the Saturday on police advice to escape a Farage riot,and other routes were "blocked" but the cameras say it was Sunday. 

Road safety fears as new Cheltenham cycle lane leads to 'dangerously sharp' turnings

Residents are calling on Gloucestershire County Council to widen the access from Evesham Road to Goldington House

Carol Tallis is also concerned that the access is not wide enough. She also said that despite the construction of the new cycle lane she sees many cyclists using the road. “What gets me is cyclists who look professional in their lycra."

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/road-safety-f...

So don't go upsetting Carol in that new Castelli kit, folks. 

I do wonder about the Green Party some times. 

So back in June, the core part of County Hall Worcester was closed down due to a combination of Legionella and RAAC. I guess as the Govt is launching another re-org it may well be the end of the line for this building. 

I imagine if the hospital said "hey folks we've got this lovely new car park for you", the reaction would be "you expect us to walk 10 minutes? LOL. Through a wood? Double LOL."  I don't know the local situation but my guess problems on the M5 are a big part of why traffic around there locks-up. 

Worcester hospital parking: give County Hall Christmas gift

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/24810343.worcester-hospital-parking...

County Hall closed so let Worcester hospital patients use it

Cllr Cross said: “There has been a significant problem of peak-time congestion on the hospital site for well over a year. City Cllr Katie Collier and I have several times witnessed drivers queueing for over an hour to leave. It is acknowledged that idling vehicles and traffic congestion adversely impact local air quality.

[...] The main cause is people having to drive because bus service and cycling infrastructure here in Worcester are inadequate."

https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/24445959.county-hall-closed-let-w...

Faversham drivers say speed bumps are ‘like Snowdonia and damaging our cars'

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/faversham/news/speed-bumps-are-like-snowdon...