Drivers and their problems

Safety fears as drivers travel wrong way down one-way Milton Street in Maidstone to escape a road closure caused by sinkhole at Hackney Road

Fant resident Emma Archer-Simms said: “People are driving the wrong way down Milton Street, Dover Street and Pope Street, and with people mounting the kerb to get around.

“With school holidays approaching, it could be a child who is seriously injured or killed.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/maidstone/news/drivers-avoiding-10ft-sinkho...

Beautiful stallion left in absolute agony after Dartmoor crash

The poor animal had to be put down

Posting a distressing image of a horse laying on its side, he wrote: "I had to wait with this beautiful stallion last night until somebody came and shot him. He was hit by local driver whose first line of defence was 'I wasn’t driving fast.'

"Yes, you were. You were driving too fast - that's why you couldn't brake in time. If you were driving slower, you would've had enough time to brake. Either that or you just weren't paying attention. You were probably rushing home because of the massive traffic jams everywhere yesterday. Either way, this beautiful boy had to be shot. Everybody, drive slower and pay more attention so this horrendous waste of life doesn't happen."

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/beautiful-stallion-left-absolu...

(punchy stuff compared to the usual, I thought)

New parking charges in Somerset towns a 'tax on the poor'

Plans to end free parking have been slammed

But, speaking at a full meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council on Thursday July 18, Shaun Hughes (Midsomer Norton North, Independent) warned councillors: “Emissions based charges are a tax on the poor, people who can't afford the latest electric vehicle or the latest fuel efficient vehicles.”

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/new-parking-charges-so...

It sometimes takes coastal erosion to get a new car-free route:

Council planning pedestrian and cyclist safety scheme for Watchet's closed B3191

https://www.wsfp.co.uk/news/council-planning-pedestrian-and-cyclist-safe...

Oh, good. 

"The buses are terrible around here" latest:

Stagecoach East announces timetable shake-up to combat 'severe' traffic issues

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/stagecoach-east-announc...

Motorhome caught out by high tide in Burnham Overy Staithe

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24481061.motorhome-caught-high-tide-burnham...

Residents beg council to remove e-scooter bays as trial ends

https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/24483851.residents-beg-council-remove-e...

Malicious notes left on car windscreens in Herefordshire

What is the law on leaving nasty notes?

Leaving aggressive notes on car windscreens can land you in hot water, with Dominic Wyatt, an expert from the International Drivers Association (the what-now?), warning last year that "leaving a hostile or abrasive note on a vehicle can now result in a fine in the UK. Civility and propriety should not be discarded when addressing parking concerns.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/24477788.malicious-notes-left-car-win...

Bit of a long read, this but it sounds like this mother has driven from Plymouth to Exeter with her baby and didn't have anything for the little mite with her.

Police called to row at Exeter car boot sale

The organiser disputes the mum's claims in the heated incident

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/police-called-row-exeter-car-9...

Devastated' town 'dying the death' as main road in and out is closed

'We've had no information whatsoever, why not tell us what's happening'

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/devastated-town-dying-de...

interestingly, the local butcher, who doesn't rely on driver / passing trade is fine. Local trade is loyal trade. 

It seems like there's some significant road closures on the go or in prospect in the south west. With 35 m cars on the road, everyone on a tight schedule and the wonder of sat-nav we're all out of wriggle room for when these things happen. 

I don't have proof, but my sense is that things like SALT are used less now as drivers can't / won't play nicely, so weeks of all-out closure it is. 

Chaotic scenes as Devon town engulfed by roadwork traffic mayhem

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/chaotic-scenes-devon-town-engu...

Closing A-road until 2025 could bring villages to 'complete standstill' warns MP

The council says the work to stabilise the road is 'absolutely essential'

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/closing-road-until-202...

Cornwall Council slammed for causing another 'lockdown' in Cornish town

Work on a new services hub in Liskeard is having a 'massive impact on hundreds of people'

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/cornwall-council-slammed...

When trade unions are on about hospital car parking charges, then we're at peak carbrain. Imagine drivers actually having to pay for the true cost of making provision for them at a hospital site. Yeovil hospital is in the centre of town, Musgrove Park in the westerly suburbs of Taunton. 

"I know I speak for many when I say hospital car parking charges are absolutely outrageous - it's iniquitous. They shouldn't be there."

"At Yeovil Hospital, the multi-storey is run by Parkingeye but owned by Simply Serve Ltd., a subsidiary company of the NHS trust. An FOI request by the RCN has shown income and revenue of £40,301 generated from that car park for the trust in the 2023/24 financial year.

Trade unions have been calling for charges to be reduced and eventually abolished

https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/nhs-bosses-defend-outrageous-car-9452473

You can't have somewhere to live because I want to park my car.  No, Civic Society, you fucked it, you stood by and let your amazing regency town become yet another race track for cars. 

Fears 147 homes bid will worsen traffic and parking woes in Cheltenham town centre

'Where on earth are all the cars that currently park in the Black and White going to park? The car park is full most days'

https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/fears-147-hom...