Law on roadworks during early sunday morning clarification

[chrcoluk]

Hi guys, if anyone here has some knowledge of law in this area it would be appreciated.

So my council without any prior notification started some roadworks right in front of my house at just after 7am today (Sunday). They are using drills and other noisy equipment, I can see they are laying new tarmac and one network roadworks website says it is resurfacing as well. One network however states its a different road getting the roadworks, the side street down the road.

So I googled and got some hits from various councils (not my own) that they only allow roadworks at these hours in residential areas if they are deemed an emergency and also restrictions on equipment that can be used, not planned works like resurfacing, they state their reasons as to comply with the department of transport guidelines. My own council website seems to have nothing of this nature I can find, so they seem to have an approach of prioritising impact on road users over residents (is a main road that is very busy on working days).

I queried with the police, and surprisingly not only did they give me an opinion that they think its wrong they actually sent out a couple of officers who tried to make them pack up and leave, However they refused, and rang up someone at the council, the police also spoke to this person, I asked the police to ask the guy for the phone number so I can speak to him as the council website has no contact number where a human will answer the phone on a sunday, the police did ask but the guy refused.

I have been given a reference number and the police told me to give that to the council when I can manage to get in touch with them.

The question is though do I have any leg to stand on, or did I just get lucky with the police response?

 

[chrcoluk]

I used to work for a Council Works services dept. They're a Monday - Friday office hours operation. It's a Sunday, highways won't be contactable other than for emergency response. This is inconvenient to you, but it isn't an emergency.

Did the police get the work to stop having spoke to the Council? OP isn't that clear on that.

Option B - get on to your local councillor. They are contactable.

They carried on, the police were not happy, and heavily encouraged me to follow through with the council.

Thank you for advice.

 

[chrcoluk]

Day one, you called the police?

Is a day of extreme noise on a rest day supposed to be acceptable or something then? sorry I missed the memo.

 

[chrcoluk]

It's a main road. If it was Monday morning would you have posted "grumble grumble late for work damn council" first world problem.

Be happy you have new tarmac and no potholes.

I know this argument, but its not even comparable.

If you take a diversion to work, you inconvenienced for what? maybe 15-30 mins? vs several hours if you a resident, the two are not even comparable.

Please respect I asked for advice regarding the law not an opinion on whether I should accept heavy noise pollution on a rest day from those who may not even live on a main road so dont have these problems.

To answer your question no I wouldnt moan about taking a minor diversion, there is plenty of alternate routes. I also dont care about pot holes, first world problems?

 

[chrcoluk]

You can't change what's already happened. What outcome are you hoping for?

Change to future council policies so it doesnt happen again. However if its legal I will drop it hence my question.

 

[chrcoluk]

General guidelines as I remember it for noisy street works is that it's permitted between :
Mon-Sat 0730-2300
Sunday 0930-2300

So 7am ish is a bit off for a Sunday morning.

Thank you.

 

[chrcoluk]

I wont be responding to any comments that are judging me unless that person states they have been in this position, judging people for something you have no personal experience off is disrespectful, thank you to the guys who answered me seriously.

 

[chrcoluk]

Assumption is the mother of all **** ups.

They did finish between 1 and 2, so they could have started the hours you stated. I assume they will be back another sunday as they only did one side of the road.

 

[chrcoluk]

Seems very odd that police chose to attend, asked the workmen to stop, but the workmen carried on with no consequence to themselves and nobody senior to the workment was at the end of a phoneline.

I think that senior person someone from the council was on the phone, and I assume they managed to convince the police they were in no position to stop it. I think I was not the only one to contact them.

 

[chrcoluk]

I am still here, given most people dont seem to have any serious interest I wasnt sure if its worth bothering posting any updates, I have had dialog with a councillor and the police rang me with a follow up, but the council staff are still to respond.

The police told me the reason they attended was that they had no notice which is supposed to be given to emergency services and had to confirm the road was indeed closed so they could add it to their database.

The councillor told me I was supposed to receive a letter of advanced notice and the workmen should not have started that early so something will be done about the starting time of future works.

Meanwhile I will probably unsub from the thread given the majority just seem to think I am here to be made fun off because I value my sleep. Why walk back to a laughing mob?

 

[chrcoluk]

When it comes to digging up the road they can do pretty much what they want when there was a water leak here they were outside until 1.30 am with heavy machinery and trucks and pneumatic drills and I mean right outside the windows

They were resurfacing the main road through this 'burb from 8pm to 6am for weeks luckily thats not me but I can't imagine anyone in the houses or flats down there got much sleep

For emergencies yes.

 

[chrcoluk]

Probably hates milkmen as well, ours delivers at about 2am.

Does the milkman start drilling at your door then?

I get it you think working comes ahead of health and well being, it should always have precedence regardless of civil behaviour and any laws that might exist.

But if you going to draw assumptions be at least realistic about it.

My bin collection is done at 6.30am.

 

[chrcoluk]

'Day of rest' lol. I'll let my son know when he gets in from his shift.

Well its pretty obvious you don't live on a main road.

Regardless of claims on here that Sundays are the same as a weekday now, the facts speak for themselves.

There is difference in employment law for Sundays.
Main roads are less busy Sundays, not just a little but significantly, there is no rush hour on a Sunday. Where I live 7am is only quiet on a Sunday and to a lesser degree Saturdays as well, its a rest day from that,
Education and many public services are shut Sundays.
Public transport like buses are significantly restricted on Sundays.

Don't know what cloud you live in if you think a Sunday is the same as a Wednesday.

I used to work continental shifts, weekends etc. it doesn't mean I decided everyone else was doing it as well. If I was leaving my house or coming home during hours when I knew others were resting I was respectfully quiet about it, I didnt impose my hours of work onto others.

Those who think this is a joke need to think about this and respect of others.

As I said a couple of posts up I now know why the police wasn't happy, the council staff are trying to plug into ears, and a councillor has promised to get things working better including telling workmen to start later.

If you guys carry on I wont be noticing it, as I am now unsubbing, up to the mods if they see value in this thread carrying on with just mocking or they see value in it, but my participation ends here.