Forum Topic

High Road Pavement Vigilante threatened with Fine

I sincerely hope that Mr Curtis sues the London Borough of Hounslow for the injuries he sustained, and that he recovers soon.

M H Mason ● 1083d33 Comments

Let's hope the Enforcement van gets a fine for parking on a yellow line while the driver was being a jobsworth.

Richard Greenhough ● 1083d

As a pedestrian, I totally applaud Mr Curtis’s actions. The pavements in the boroughs of Hounslow and Ealing are getting more and more uneven, due to wear and tear, subsidence and protruding tree roots, making walking treacherous and frightening for some, especially the elderly and disabled. If the cycle lanes fell into such disrepair, resulting in cyclists falling off their bikes or going over the handlebars, there would be uproar and hell to pay!  In light of the government’s new strategy for motorists and cyclists, more action like this should be taken, to highlight the dangers faced by pedestrians every day and encourage the councils to make our streets safer places to walk.

Rick Hayward ● 1083d

Well done Mr Curtis, the pavements in chiswick are appalling and I am stunned a jobs worth thought it was appropriate to report Mr Curtis, outrageous behaviour. Instead of paying compensation the council should properly maintain the pavements and ensure appointed contractors do the job probably including a lifespan. We shouldn’t accept shoddy work, council should appt an independent surveyor to sign off jobs before contractors get paid that would encourage better quality work. Hopefully Mr Curtis is recovering.

Jayne Thorburn ● 1083d

Please report this things on Fix My Street website or through the phone app.

Peter Johnson ● 1083d

As I remark from time to time, Hounslow's streets and pavements are assessed by independent assessors repeatedly as the best in London. If you think they are bad (and I'm not arguing they are great) take it up with the government in the shape of Mark Harper MP, this week. I have never heard of a single local authority in England who is satisfied.

Guy Lambert ● 1083d

I understand it’s not appropriate to ever refer to the elderly or the disabled on this site. Nor is LBH responsible for anything, it’s somebody else

Maggie Dodge ● 1083d

The local council is responsible for pavements I repeat in chiswick they are shocking when was it the last time the council checked all pavements in the area? it super easy just walk around there are loads of paving slabs lifted and zero tree root to blame. Ealing/Hounslow need to work together for the good of all chiswick residents stuck between them!

Jayne Thorburn ● 1083d

Maybe some of us should carry arounda can of ROAD SPRAY PAINT (as used by roadmen and their surveyors) and use it to highlight local obstacles.Use white for pavements etcUse yellow for dog poo!It's for the benefit of us all!

Jim Lawes ● 1083d

My apologies for mentioning the elderly and disabled in my post - as a relative newcomer to this forum, I did not realise it was inappropriate. I do know that my late mother (who was both of the inappropriate mentions) would have been very apprehensive about walking in many streets in the area. Perhaps I should rephrase it to ’Those who expect to be able to walk on a flat surface, free from trip (or tree-p) hazards’.

Rick Hayward ● 1083d

Well Guy, I'm still waiting for a response to the email re Staveley Rd pavement I sent around 3 weeks ago.

Bob Guyett ● 1083d

Rick, maybe you can get away with it. It may just be long term posters like me that are accused of bringing it up too often. The local cycle zealots hate that their lack of regard for these groups is highlighted on a regular basis and shows them up for what they are👍

Maggie Dodge ● 1083d

Streets and inspected by both our maintenance contractor (Hounslow Highways) and the team in the council who monitor Hounslow Highways' performance. A team, normally of 4, constantly survey, supported by management and by me (and some other councillors who actually worry about streets being at acceptable level).All our streets are independently assessed once a year by external experts who make recommendations which we are obliged to follow.Some of the funding for Hounslow Highways comes from the ministry and we are obliged to meet the standards set by the ministry working with the council about 10 years ago.We have a very comprehensive methods of reporting problems, all defined on the H Highways website as are the timescales to remedy faults.The PFI arrangement with H Highways and the standard of repairs etc was largely set by the Department: they will support paying for it up to the levels in the PFI contract

Guy Lambert ● 1083d

You're right, Bob - I missed your mail for some reason - apologies.I have sent it on to a senior manager at H Highways and the head of our council monitoring unit.

Guy Lambert ● 1083d

Guy, have they broken that down by different areas.The streets and pavements in Chiswick are awful.  Hounslow council have a history of spending money at the other end of the borough.

Al Webber ● 1082d

Unlike the OP, I hope Mr Curtis doesn't seek compensation, even though he would clearly be entitled to it. His actions were public spirited and, to be fair to the authorities, resulted in a prompt response from the council. The question that remains unanswered is whether or not he will receive a Fixed Penalty Notice for what he did.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1082d

I hope he does seek compensation because the council need to take the condition of pavements seriously, if people don’t seek compensation there is a danger the council will not react quickly enough to dangerous pavements. The council would be very silly to pursue a penalty and the jobs worth person needs talking too. We put up with poor service from Hounslow council time to make our voices heard.

Jayne Thorburn ● 1082d

When the so-called enforcement team came here, three of them wandered down our rear access where the problem was - another one parked the van in a bay that had been taken out and blocked sight lines for others! They did absolutely nothing about the problem they had visited for, not a clue, useless.

Vanessa Smith ● 1082d

Guy, thankyou

Bob Guyett ● 1082d

Utter balderdash. Where Hounslow Highways repairs roads an footpaths the works are based strictly on those that have deterioration in the manner defined by the Department of Transport when they first set up the PFI deal.It has no relation to the area. though before I was a councillor Chiswick did well with pavements. There are a lot of conservation areas in Chiswick where pavements were replaces with paving slabs. Everyone else gets tarmac

Guy Lambert ● 1082d

I'm sure the idea that the Western end of the borough is given preference for pavement and carriageway repairs is indeed balderdash - Chiswick paranoia! But I would like to ask you, Guy, why Windmill Road is never resurfaced. It's a horror show of patches and potholes. Why, when Chiswick Common Road was resurfaced, didn't the work extend to Windmill Road, which was in a much more parlous state?

Robert Fish ● 1082d

Language Cllr Lambert!!. I’m sure you’ve been accused of worse. Remember your position please

Maggie Dodge ● 1082d

Jayne, ever tried to make your voice heard with Hounslow?

Maggie Dodge ● 1081d

Next time a delivery van calls with goods for you I hope you will remonstrate with the driver and company when you see the van is parked on the pavement and consider whether that was actually a delivery you could have collected from a collection point and whether it was so urgent.  Some things are - some aren't and vehicles driving over kerbs and dislodging them and crushing paving stones could be reduced by a little more organisation and consideration by everyone concerned.  There would also be less traffic on the roads if the same companies weren't delivering several times a day in the same area - which it seems likd they do.  It also helps when there is some kerbside parking and less static just-in-case parking.It is very disappointing to find many shops and offices and residents have work done to their premises and homes and deliveries made where damage is caused to the kerbs and paving and they take no responsibility whatsoever in either ensuring no damage is done, or when it does happen even bothering to report it so that it can be made good.  It may be you, your family or your friends who will be impacted by it.  It's amazing how many people step over or walk on by and then use their phones on the tube for everything else when it would just take a minute or two for them to report a problem.  It takes others without that tech a lot more time and effort and thank you everyone who does make that effort.  It is quite galling to be told that you are the third or fourth person who has tripped on a particular rocking paving stone on a particular day or gawped at when you inform shopping staff that they have dangerous paving stones outside their shop and they should report them to the Council before they have to call an ambulance for any customers!There can be a snowballing effect when you or a family member can't earn, or can't  look after themselves and their children or elderly parents.  The NHS doesn't need the extra work either.

Philippa Bond ● 1081d

Then perhaps we need more parking not less

Maggie Dodge ● 1081d

It certainly used to be the case that the west of the borough did far better on carriageway repairs. I remember seeing figures published (possibly on this site) which showed a massive disparity. However, this was along time ago and pre internet reporting. It is entirely possible the apparent favouritism being shown to Hounslow town was down to council officers being more likely to spot problems in the area where they worked.I'd be surprised now if such unfairness still exists but if anyone believes it does, it is a simple matter to do a FoI request to find out.Entirely agree about Windmill Road particularly as it now forms part of Cycleway 49 but perhaps because that is an Ealing borough project rather than a Hounslow one, the money can't be allocated to it.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1081d

No, not enough homes and too much private personal transport - much of which rarely moves - already!

Philippa Bond ● 1081d

Ooh what a scary thought , more parking .

Maggie Dodge ● 1081d

Don't some new flats have underground parking?  And somewhere I've been on the south coast they built underground car parking under a square so that there is no need for parking on the promenade.

Philippa Bond ● 1081d

That’s why I hope he claims compensation hit them in their pocket or should I say the tax payer. Utterly incompetent and clearly no interested in chiswick. I thought chiswick was moving over to Hammersmith and Fulham away from Hounslow?

Jayne Thorburn ● 1081d

You're confusing parliamentary constituencies and boroughs.

Robert Fish ● 1081d

Thanks Robert, that’s a shame 😂😂😂 we should request a change of council Hounslow are useless.

Jayne Thorburn ● 1081d

What is your definition of 'useless'?  If it means doesn't do what you personally want then perhaps you had better check it out first!  They certainly used to be far harder on car parking/ownership.

Philippa Bond ● 1080d

It is hard to see how the conclusion that Hounslow Council are 'useless' based on this story. Work started on fixing the problems highlighted by Mr Curtis hours after he reported them.The only thing to its detriment is the over zealous behaviour of the council's civil enforcement officer. As we haven't heard otherwise we can assume Mr Curtis never received a PCN or, if he did, it was promptly rescinded.Giving even limited powers to these poorly trained individuals is something all local authorities should manage carefully. They often seem to focus on soft targets although the one in the case probably now regrets harassing Mr Curtis. I'd be prepared to concede that Hounslow was useless if it was letting these enforcement officers with inadequate oversight but up until this point I have never seen or heard of one over stepping their powers or issuing an unjustified fine in Chiswick.

Jeremy Parkinson ● 1079d