Neil Herron, who describes himself as a ‘parking campaigner’, has called on Road Safety GB to help put an end to what he calls a ‘dangerous and illegal practice by local authorities’.
Mr Herron, who works with the London Motorists Action Group and Drivers Alliance, is campaigning to bring to an end to ‘the placing of parking bays (including loading bays) and bus stops behind the zig-zags within the controlled areas of pedestrian crossings’.
The issue was brought to the attention of Parliament last week by Lord Lucas, chairman of the London Motorists Action Group, who said: “An increasing number of local authorities are placing loading bays, bus stops, parking bays in the controlled area of crossings behind the zig zags restricting visibility for the pedestrian and motorist alike and increasing the potential for accidents.
“This practice is not only dangerous, it is also illegal. It needs to be brought to the attention of all local authorities as a matter of urgency and they must cease and desist and correct any illegal locations immediately.”
Mr Herron said: “We call on Road Safety GB to become actively involved in ensuring the safety of pedestrians and motorists by demanding councils act immediately and stop this dangerous and illegal practice.
“We also call on the Secretary of State to ensure that this issue is brought to the attention of all local authorities immediately and for the Government to exercise its power to direct councils to remove illegal and dangerous signing forthwith and to take action against those authorities which continue to disregard the law and advice from the Department for Transport.”
In response, Alan Kennedy, chair of Road Safety GB said: “It is not really appropriate for Road Safety GB to demand that our employers take action on this issue.
“We are not liable for the actions of individual local authorities. Our remit is to represent, assist and advise those who deliver education, training and publicity.
“It may be more appropriate for Mr Herron to take his campaign to the IHT or IHE.
“However, as individual road safety officers our role is to improve road safety for all road users and as such it would be appropriate for us, as individuals, to raise this with our colleagues in traffic management to make sure they are aware of this issue.”
Neil Herron can be contacted on 07776 202045.
To call on RSGB to seek to “put an end” to the practices highlighted by Mr Herron is to misunderstand our role. As the Chairman says, our brief is to help and assist local Highway Authorities in the delivery of their important programmes of Road Safety Education, Training and Publicity. Now, it may be that, in the internal organisation of some of our Member Authorities there is a mechanism whereby Road Safety Officers are routinely consulted on matters affecting the highway, but it is for other local government organisations (IHT and IHE are mentioned) to offer a lead in such matters.
Brian Hogarth, Road Safety GB
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Does Road Safety GB have the authority to put an end to anything? Are they liable for the actions of each individual Authority in GB? This should keep the RSGB lawyers busy…
Steve Jarrett, Norfolk
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