SkipHireMagazine.co.uk » skip industry news

Skip Driver On Bail After Cyclist Dies

Dave — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:48:09 +0000

A skip hire lorry driver has been released on bail following the death of a cyclist in Southwark. The driver was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving and is due to appear at a South London police station in June.
The tragedy occurred at a dangerous junction in Bermondsey. The victim, 33 year old mother and hospital finance worker, Nga Diep, was allegedly pinned to railings at the side of the road by the speeding lorry, although an official statement is yet to be released.
A local cyclists lobby group, Southwark Cyclists, have been campaigning in regard to the use of railings in such areas as they have already proven dangerous for cyclists. The group’s chair, Barry Mason, was reported as saying:
“Ilderton Road and the area is notorious for speeding lorries and this junction is much too fast. Our questions to Southwark Council about why similar new railings are going in on Southwark Park Road, Grange Road and Long Lane as those on Walworth Road come out have never been answered. It’s too early yet to know what really happened last Tuesday morning, but we’ll ask Southwark for a full review of this dreadful incident and that junction. Of course all our thoughts go to Nga’s family, friends and colleagues.”
Local MP Simon Hughes has recently called for an investigation into the junction and a council spokesperson responded with: “The incident is currently being investigated by the police. Following this the council will conduct an investigation into the incident.”
This issue obviously needs tackling soon for the safety of local cyclists and any lorry drivers who use this busy route.

THE FLY TEAM

Dave — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:46:06 +0000

“In 2007, some rogue fly-tipping idiots were sent to prison by local authorities for a crime they did commit. These men were eventually released and may be responsible for the continuing incidents of such crime in the Calderdale area. Today, still wanted by local government, the fly-tippers continue to operate as soldiers of filth. If you have a fly-tipping problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… The Fly Team.” De de de, de de de…
Okay, it’s not quite that exciting, but a new plan has come together between police and environmental health in Calderdale, who are out to rid the area of it’s major fly-tipping problem.
PC Paul Saxby and Environmental Health Officer, Dave Dunbar, are patrolling the streets in a new monthly operation – catching out the fly-tippers and administering the full force of the law with a zero-tolerance approach to stamping out the problem.
Mr Dunbar says: “We have big problems with this in Calderdale and it’s absolutely disgusting. It brings the area down – it attracts rats and rodents, and it’s totally unnecessary.”
During random spot-checks, the council will be stopping any vehicle they suspect of carrying waste illegally and will issue a £300 fine to anyone who fails to prove that they are legitimately carrying waste and not intending to fly-tip. Refusal to pay up could then lead to a court fine of £5,000.
Mr Dunbar explained: “Businesses need a licence to carry waste, and that is what we will be asking for when we stop vehicles. If they cannot produce a licence within seven days they are breaking the law and we will prosecute because we’re determined to crack down on offenders.”

SKIP, SKIP, SKIP, BOOM!

Dave — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:43:58 +0000

A waste transfer station was rapidly evacuated last month after an unexploded bomb from World War II was discovered by workers on the site.
The shell, which was spotted poking out of a pile of aggregate, was found at Tintagel House Port Waste Transfer Station in Cornwall Drive, Orpington.
Workers fled the site and the bomb squad were then called in to deal with the unnerving discovery.
The bomb was promptly disarmed and removed from the site. The area was then declared safe by the bomb squad, allowing the workers to return to their normal duties just one hour after the evacuation.
It took decades to be discovered and less than an hour to be destroyed. It sounds a bit like a contestant on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’!

Skip Lorry in House Crash

Dave — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:17:18 +0000

Two Devon homes have been seriously damaged following an incident in which a skip hire lorry ploughed into them.
Emergency crews attended the incident on Fore Street, in North Tawton.
A police spokesperson said that substantial structural damage is believed to have been caused to both of the properties. A structural engineer is now due to examine the scene.
The incident caused the closure of the road and motorists were advised to avoid the area.
Fortunately, there were no reports of any injuries.

SKIP OPERATORS LET DOWN BY 2008 BUDGET

Dave — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:41:55 +0000

The chancellor’s 2008 Budget has done nothing for skip hire operators by postponing the fuel tax increase, according to Abbey Fuelcards.
Steve Clarke, Abbey Fuelcards sales and marketing manager, said: “The chancellor has missed a perfect opportunity to help a vital sector of the UK economy. Merely putting off a tax increase is of minimal value to an industry already shackled by punitive levels of taxation. Skip operators needed a significant fuel tax reduction, but this has just made effective fuel cost management more important than ever.”
The fuel cost management benefits of Abbey Fuelcards are increasingly important to users. Steve Clarke said: “Fuelcard holders still cite guaranteed lower prices as the main reason for joining, but we regularly hear that this is closely followed by the account management benefits.”
Abbey Fuelcards has a wide portfolio of fuelcards, offering full advice and network details to help applicants find the best card for their particular needs.
Readers can find out more about the Abbey Fuelcards range, including the full cost management benefits, at www.abbey-fuelcards.co.uk or by calling 0845 055 1695.

Skip Truck Cop Chase

Dave — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:31:20 +0000

We’ve all heard the expression ‘thick as thieves’, but stealing a 16t skip truck and then trying to outrun police takes some beating!
The skip hire wagon, from West Yorkshire, was spotted by police being driven erratically on the A19, near Hartlepool.
The vehicle failed to stop, and the driver then led the pursuing officers on a 10 mile chase – reaching speeds of up to a staggering 40mph! (Come on, it is a skip truck!) Even the police helicopter was involved.
The police believe that the vehicle may have been stolen from a compound in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire – 90 miles away.
The chase led police up the A19 and then turned off at Castle Eden and through Blackhall; eventually coming to an end outside Hartlepool. The pursuit was brought to a halt when police successfully deployed their trusty ‘stinger’ device, spiking the tyres of
the wagon.
The 30-year-old male driver was promptly arrested on suspicion of stealing the vehicle from Hutchinson Demolition, in Dewsbury.
A nearby resident, who witnessed the arrest, said: “It is not the kind of thing you expect to see in a police chase. I was expecting to see a car and people running about, but there was this great big skip lorry there.”
Andrew Hutchinson, a director at Hutchinson Demolition, said: “It was stolen from us at 10pm on Monday. It is worth between £16,000 and £20,000 and it was probably stolen to order.”

Skip Collision Man Charged

Dave — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:21:34 +0000

A Malmesbury builder has been charged with placing a skip on a public road without permission from the highways authority, following the death of a motorcyclist last year.
Adrian Carey appeared before magistrates in Chippenham last month, where the court heard of the tragic collision in which Carl Denley was killed.
Mr Denley, a 29-year-old carpenter, was travelling along Lodge Road in Chippenham on his way to work when his Triumph motorcycle collided with the skip. Paramedics arrived promptly, but Mr Denley was pronounced dead at the scene.
The skip, belonging to Porter Metals and Skip Hire of Chippenham, had been hired by Mr Carey and placed on the main road through the estate, behind the property at which he was working.
All skip hire companies are obliged to obtain a licence from the relevant local authority, permitting them to place a skip on a public highway. This is intended to ensure skips are placed safely and can be seen easily by fellow road users.
There is no excuse for flouting the law, but if such permits were priced rationally and fairly, this law would surely stand a better chance of being more readily adhered to.