LB Community Forums / Help & Information / Road Watch

A20 closed.....

frogga — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:16:19 GMT

coming bk from brands the A20 was closed both ways. i asked the traffic warden wat had happened and he said sum1 was threating to jump off a bridge......... my answer to that was " you want me to go push him". :P:D:P

Biker spill A217

burnmonkey — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:22:43 GMT

A guy came past me on a red honda 600 ( might not be honda ) doing about 70 - 75mph on the A217 on the stretch going past Texaco, rest of traffic was averaging 40mph. The roundabout it leads up to is the worst ever!! The centre of the roundabout is a big lump of grass covered dirt and the island leading up to it has a great big hedge so you can't see the cars already in the roundabout....forces you to slow right down, almost been caught there a couple of times. It's the roundabout before the last strech up to junction 8 leading to Reigate.

By the time I reached the roundabout the traffic was starting to back up, I filtered the traffic and the bike was lying in the middle of the road and the rider was being led off. I heard the two drivers at the front say he came out of nowhere and I reckon one of them clipped him!

Luckily he was walking with the aid of a couple of people so he is probably okay. While I'm on the subject a lot of cars seem to change lanes in multi lane roundabouts without indicating....I didn't get my license in the UK is this normal or are people stupid???

Burnmonkey

speed cams a127 essex

hotlurve — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:05:05 GMT

the 2 cams covering what used to be the fortune of war roundabout by mc donalds have been bagged up and are out of use!!! lookes like theyre getting rid at last:D

under cover cops streatham area

shiver85 — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:53:56 GMT

just spotted two under cover cops slowly driving around my area up by streatham hill bit odd to see them is such a small crapy car

A12 Eastway Tunnel

Chenster10R — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:37:45 GMT

The eastway tunnel on the A12 was shut as i came in less than a half hour ago.

Needless to say all surrounding roads were grid locked.

The eastway tunnel - as i found out just now :pinch:

is the tunnel just as the A12 meets the A406

Police Pulling bikers in Westminster

Joby — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:13:29 GMT

On the bus through Hyde Park corner and into Knightsbridge I saw two incidents of bikers being pulled. The first one was a silver GSXR with Polish plates on Hyde Park Corner. He was possibly done for making progress. The second one on the approach to Knightsbridge was another GSXR which looked as if he was being done for an illegal plate (the plate was one of those long, thin, text all in one line ones).

The police may be bored or there may be a new drive on bikers.

Cycle lane in Lower Thames Street

Big Pug — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:54:51 GMT

Well it must be legal, as I saw a Met Bike-Plod Inspector on a BMW, reg MY07M*P this morning going down there. :)

He was obviously not on a call, nor was he after any naughty folk using the lane as he had not nicked anyone by the time I peeled away from him at Parly Square a good while later. Just seemed to be making progress same as everyone else, albeit sticking to 30mph, of course. ;)

A23 BRIXTON HIGH STREET CLOSED

kris — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:28:22 GMT

Brixton High Street is closed this morning (~6:45) ....looks like police investigating a collection of buses and some other vehicle near the bridge at electric av ......(too far away to see if there was any prams/skateboarders/bikers involved) ....

I headed right and round the back of brixton market ....got a bit lost and ended up near camberwell green....

Watch out in France...

jonnyp42 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:22:06 GMT

Dipped headlights all day and a hi-viz for all riders en France!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/2630802/British-police-help-French-crack-down-on-UK-speeders.html

French motorway patrol officials say eight out of 10 drivers caught speeding in the Calais region every summer are British.

Half of UK motorists pulled over in July and August are doing more than 120mph, French police said.

Two traffic officers from Kent and a French linguist have now teamed up with a French Gendarmerie patrol on the A26 motorway south of Calais to discipline British drivers.

They are working alongside their French counterparts to remind our holidaymakers of the speed limits on French roads.

"Some British drivers treat French roads like a racetrack," said Calais police lieutenant Patrick Vanderstraeten. "They think that as soon as they get abroad, the law doesn't apply to them.

"Failure to keep to the speed limit has led to four deaths and 13 injured on the motorways of the Calais region since the start of this year.

"Half of the speeding offences detected at more than 200kph in this area have been committed by British drivers."

So many British motorists now use the A26 motorway that illuminated roadside panels warning drivers to slow down are now be flashed up in English as well as French, he said.

He added: "The British sometimes refuse to pull over when waved down, and some even try to outrun police cars and get away. It's like a game to them.

"We have several unmarked patrol cars capable of 170mph, so drivers should be warned they are unlikely to be able to get away from us."

The speed limit on French motorways is 81mph in dry conditions and 65mph in the wet.

Experienced French motorists know they can drive up to 90mph without risking a speeding ticket, but any faster and they will be stopped.

The highest illegal speed ever recorded on the A26 is 153mph, clocked up by Sean Barlow, from Surrey, in November 2005. He was jailed for five days for dangerous driving.

The Anglo-French patrols in France this month are also providing leaflets with road safety advice on French roads and distributing high visibility vests - now compulsory in France - to British motorcyclists without one.

Chief Inspector Roscoe Walford, the head of Kent road policing, said: "We worked alongside the Gendarmerie to give and receive road safety advice, learn good practice, help with language difficulties, promote the Kent Police travelling abroad web page and observe French procedures.

"We can always learn something from our colleagues across local, regional and national borders and they can learn from us."

Kent Police will host officers from the Gendarmerie Nationale in a similar operation in the UK in September.

Be careful out in Kent & Essex.....

Johnse1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:09:46 GMT

Just in case some of your aren't aware, kent & Essex police share a helicopter, which can now be used to deal with speeding

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7583788.stm

A23 Speed Camera Reversal

Hero Honda — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:54:43 GMT

The 30mph camera on Streatham High Road [A23] that has been in the southbound direction was reversed today. Now it will flash anyone speeding in northbound direction [Towards Brixton]

diversion at camberwell green

ad — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:32:41 GMT

could be late notice but diversion in place at about 9 this morning. due to an accident but not sure what kind. did see 2 lorries side by side going the same way in one lane so something to do with that i imagine!

Plods bought a new van for A217 / Morden

burnmonkey — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:30:43 GMT

Camera van in both directions on Reigate Avenue A217, van is plain white no chevrons or reflective hatchings on the back, just a tiny sign and a camera mounted through it's roof on a high pole to give it away.
You cant see the sign because it parks amongst other cars in layby parking and the sign is about A4 paper size.

1. Parked on the left just after you go under the pedestrian bridge up to Rose Hill Roundabout

2. Heading towards A217 after passing Tescos on the right and Club cars on the left there is a bend in the
road with a new high mounted gatso on the opposite side.....the plods park on the left side amongst
parked traffic again.....I'm waiting for the ticket 50mph in a 40mph zone ( I was starting to overtake )

I've seen them more than this but it's becoming a regular, bang goes my clean record!!
A217 leading up to junction 8 is becoming a real pain there are enough gatsos and now there are mobile vans sometimes twice a day!!

Biker down - this morning at The Oval

buttonmonkey — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:38:34 GMT

Not many details but came across the aftermath of what looked like a nasty accident at about 9:15 this morning riding past the The Oval toward Vauxhall.

Bike did not look too good at all and couldn't really see the rider but I know he was down.

Any info, anyone know if he/she was OK?

A40/A3220 Shepherds Bush Accident blackspot, help needed

chillednsorted — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:52:31 GMT

Ref The notorious accident black spot as you come off the Westway to the Shepherds Bush/White City turning ( the one which has been dug up for last couple months)

A lovely young lady from the BBC is doing some research, and has asked if anyone has any information regarding any accidents on that roundabout. She thinks there was a bad one involving a biker in about April time.

If anyone has any information regading that or any other one there - or your reasons why it is a black spot could you give me a private message and I will tell her all I can.

Speed Trap A316 Richmond

McNab — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:11:31 GMT

Came along the A316 Lower Mortlake Road this morning and there's a few cops there, car and bike. Looks like they were pulling people as they had a red CBR600 and a car there and were giving the owners a talking to.

This is just past Richmond round-a-bout right by that digital speed camera that they put in recently.

Diesel mess!

Toby-1-kenobi — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:58:00 GMT

Not a specific area, but traveling along the South Circ (A205) from Brixton Hill to Putney this morning, there were COUNTLESS diesel spills all over the shop. It may just have been they were more visible cos the road was wet, but honestly I was weaving and dodging rainbow splatters ALL the way...

Be careful out there!

biker down - king william street / nicholas lane

k-man — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:03:19 GMT

8:45 ish ... took a different way home tonight just after BMM ... continued over london bridge and left into king william street ... then came across a police block and meat wagon (ambulance) .. a blue SV thou (twin pipes) lay down nicholas lane. ... hope it was just a slide out
.. don't think i saw this bike at the meet tonight.

Strike Action Possibilities

powerpuffgirl — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:47:14 GMT

Working for a French Bank, I seem to have a finger on the strike pulse...

Gatwick and Stansted Bank Holiday Stike Action And Possible Strike Action by London Underground

A series of ballots are taking place at UK airports over the coming days, with London's second and third busiest airports the first to announce strikes.

Baggage handlers and check-in staff at Gatwick are to stage two 24-hour walkouts, on August 25th and again on August 29th, after rejecting a 3-per cent pay offer. Travellers could experience cancellations and lengthy delays as operations at a number of airlines are halted.

Virgin Atlantic, Monarch, Thomson Fly, First Choice, North West, Air Malta, Air Transat, Oman Air will be among those affected, along with some smaller airlines.

At Stansted, 300 workers, who are employed as baggage handlers and check-in staff for easyJet and Ryanair will strike over the same two 24-hour periods, on August 25th-26th and August 29th-30th, starting at 3am on both days. A spokesman for the GMB union, which represents the workers advised 90 per cent voted in favour of the action.

The Unite union said the 318 Gatwick workers, employed by Swissport, had rejected the "paltry" pay offer as it was well below the rate of inflation.

It warned that the dispute was likely to spread to other airports in the next few days and weeks because of similar rows over pay. A ballot will be held for Manchester staff on Monday. Unite members at Swissport will also shortly be balloted at Birmingham and Newcastle airports. The union said it expected workers to vote in favour of striking.

Travellers departing from Stansted are already facing disruptions as workers who screen luggage prepare to strike after rejecting a 1.5 per cent pay offer. The strike involves more than 30 staff who screen baggage after they leave check-in desks on the way to the hold of aircraft.

Travellers in the south-east could be dealt a double blow if a strike by workers on the London Underground goes ahead next week.

Around 1,000 members of London Underground’s biggest union, RMT, have planned two 72-hour strikes between noon on Wednesday August 20th and noon on Saturday August 23th, and then from noon on Wednesday September 3rd to noon on Saturday September 6th.

The striking workers maintain track and trains on the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines, but a spokesman for the RMT advised that there will be "a fairly substantial knock-on effect across the whole network."

This means travellers planning to use the tube to get to London's airports should leave extra time for their journey, or consider alternative routes.

PLOD WATCH

Ratty46 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:09:52 GMT

ok lads n lasses, just a thread to add those sneaky unmarked cars too, regs too if you rember them or anything about the cars that may make tehm recognisable:D

Black 3 series BMW- A13 A127

Dark Blue/Black BMW (arnies friends) tinted windows -A406

Dalston Junction and surrounding area

Killer #1 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:35:21 GMT

Hi,

This area is at a standstill - looks like serious m'bike v car RTA

Bus routes being diverted.

best wishes to the biker.

Check here for info on diversions etc

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/information.asp?time=now&mode=buses&line=all&incident=1013433_TfL

speed camera in mitcham ...now with added "white van"

kris — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:36:16 GMT

There is a south facing speed camera in roughtly this location ..(by the eco build houses)

http://www.lscp.org.uk/?cameras&cameraID=873

This morning there is a white van with hidden camera's parked on the grass by it ...The digital cameras are pointing up the road (north) so careful storming south !!

brixton road ....lots of police/VED folks about

kris — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:23:28 GMT

Almost daily on brixton road (north and South of Brixton rail) there are lots of police/VED folks about. Mainly vans and cars getting pulled but plenty of 5 series BMW's sitting in covert areas watching the world go by.

guns drawn

darrylj — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:10:03 GMT

speed guns just drawn out on Poplar avenue, junction with Tentalow lane, norwood green area, southall, UB2.

(right near the vauxhall monorep garage).
2 bike cops + car.

always a good catch there!.

slow down, it's 30!.

A3 Robin Hood / Roehampton area

macp — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:31:40 GMT

Seen a lot of Traf Pol around here recently and last night got pulled by a solo traff plod whilst 'making progress' towards Wandsworth.

I got a proper 'telling off' from the bloke - he really wasn't a happy bunny at all. It was a full 5 minutes slating that made me feel like a 5 year old as he reeled off a list of offenses from speeding to intimidating other road users and generally riding like a knobber. I have to say that on reflection he was right and I was lucky he told me to get lost - he suggested I should shoot myself in the head as it would be safer for everyone else around me rather than ride on the road as the result would be the same.

He then kept a distant eye on me from there until Clapham, kept passing me and doubling back - most disturbing as he was tucking himself in behind traffic.

I must admit I was lazy last night by not keeping a good eye behind me so it must have wound him up that I wasn't aware of him.

So ride like I did last night and they'll have you here - they are waiting!

Bus Lane

Sir Slim — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:43:17 GMT

Got a fine for being in a bus lane.

Must of only dipped in and out to filter ffs. Whats wrong with these idiots I was not holding anyone up or getting in the way.

Licence to print money having a motor vehicle is it not GRRRRRRRR

Cops on Woburn Place/Southampton Row and BMW on A40

g0rg — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:23:41 GMT

This is the second morning I see police motorcyclists actively pulling bikes and scoots on the stretch from Marleybone Road to Clerkenwell Road. Yesterday a plod pulled a guy on a quite customised bike and looked like he's been going over every fixing on a bike. Today one scoot (speeding?, --- then the plods have laser guns but I didn't see them) and another plod cruising down the road.

Black BMW 5 series saloon (didn't have time to read the reg) on A40 opposite RAF Northolt pulled one bike and one lorry.

Cops with Speed Laser Guns - A4 Brentord

BluBhoy — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:59:12 GMT

Highway

Vaughny — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:41:15 GMT

It's the school holidays and the Highway has been packed everyday this week. What's going on?

DIESEL SPILL AT ALDGATE

Vespisti — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:32:41 GMT

Watch out - the junction from Whitechapel to Commercial Road/Leman Street where the roadworks are, and properly called Braham Street is slick with diesel. I was sliding around like Torville and Dean this morning. I reported it to the Police.

Re-surfacing?

Mole — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:56:48 GMT

I think they're re-surfacing the junction of the North side on Vauxhaull Bridge, it was mayhem on the way back tonight, all closed off in various directions! ...so if it rains like they promise tomorrow, just be aware it might be ultra slippy! :)

Bike cop with speed gun

Sid Throttle — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:16:57 GMT

Bike cop with speed gun Lower Richmond Road outside North Sheen cemetery (was it a stab at symbolism?) on way to Chiswick bridge other evening.

Replaced Camera A3 S/bound Putney Vale?

macp — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:04:23 GMT

This is heading southbound and it the camera past the Asda and Petrol Station. It seems bigger than the Gatso that used to be there and it's been repositioned with new lines on the road.

Only saw it quickly the other day just curious about what type it is....

Blackwall Tunnel Closed again..

Il Bandito — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:10:50 GMT

Any idea?.. About 6pm - Looks like one, perhaps two bike involved in something,as there was an ambulance and police 4x4 on the side road just after the tunnel. Parked up next to it was a blue (hornet?) and a white and fluro-orange Malboro rep bike..

Hope all involved are ok!

Speedguns on the Mall

Panagiotis — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:29:15 GMT

on my way to work 09:00+ there were two Police bikers, one with a speed gun and the other had pulled over a Ninja and a scooter

New Gatso on A10 at Ware

ChunkyMonkey — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:24:08 GMT

Take it easy when travelling south along the A10 between A602 (Ware & Stevenage) and Hertford.

There is a coned section and a sneakily positioned temporary GATSO policing the 40mph limit there.

sign 'free parking for motorcycles in London' petition b4 18 July

Ulli — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:57:49 GMT

Westminster Council and the borough of Kensington and Chelsea want to start charging motorcycles for parking in London.

This is an outrage!!! Nowhere else in Europe are motorcyclists charged for parking in cities.

Please sign this petition and support free parking for motorcycles in London.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/2WheelParking/

You will get an email back and have to click the link inside the email from Nr10 to confirm that you have signed the petition!

Please tell all cyclists and motorbike/scooter riders and friends!

The last day to sign the petition is 18 July!!!

Thank you,

Ulli

North Circular A406 Southbound @ Hanger Lane

Kevsta — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:50:33 GMT

North Circular A406 Southbound @ Hanger Lane is currently closed off, when I went by it looked like there had been an accident rover 75 or jag s-type on a low loader with plenty of damage.

Northbound seemed very quiet, so it could have been affected as well.

Hanger Lane is chaos avoid if you can.

Heathrow- M25 speed cameras

JaneS — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:32:45 GMT

Might be helpful...

Heard from the 27 June 08 all the variable Speed Cameras in the section of the M25 near Heathrow Airport (JCT 10-15) activation limit is being lowered.

The cameras are going to be lowered at the normal 10% of the speed limit + 2mph (80mph + and your taking a risk basically) when the signs are not in use i.e. national speed limit. I can't confirm the activation limit when the signs are set (variable limits showing) but think it would be the same 10% + 2mph of the speed shown by the sign at that time.

Think originally they were set to 90mph which is why some people might have got away with going abit faster than allowed!!!!!

Hopefully that makes sense and saves a few of you getting points on your licence!!!

Camden road

Dumbnut — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 04:34:59 GMT

Morning all,

I've been informed by one of our Black cab drivers that Camden road is closed both ways by St pancras road due to yet another fatal stabbing. Could be closed for a while.