Except for access
Keith
Not too far from me there's a steep single-track road (the grade isn't
marked, but I'd guess 1 in 6) through dense woodland, with no passing
places from top to bottom. It would obviously be a nightmare if this
road carried heavy traffic. However, the road cuts the corner between
two main roads: it saves you the best part of a mile in distance, and
also avoids a busy roundabout. So it makes an attractive rat run.
To deal with this situation (in a predictably heavy handed way), the
local nimby brigade have convinced the council to install "motor
vehicles prohibited" signs
<http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/workingdrawings/regulatoryp600series/p619motorvehiclesprohibited.pdf>
at the top and bottom of the road, with "except for access" plates.
Now in practice, this will obviously never be enforced because it's not
practical to enforce it. In any case, as there's no question of careless
driving (it's perfectly suitable and safe for motor vehicles - the
prohibition is purely about traffic management), I think I'm right in
saying that the only thing you could be done for is "disobeying a
traffic sign", which (as it's not a red light or stop sign) only carries
a fine with no points.
But theoretically, if you had the bad luck to be going up that road when
a copper came the other way, couldn't you argue that you were a
Jehovah's witness off to pester one of the residents who lives on that
stretch? It would be very hard to disprove. "Access" seems like such a
broad term that it renders the sign meaningless.
Dave S.
"Keith" <ke...@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhngpq0...@nospam.invalid...
Although I haven't been able to find anything "official" to back me up, I
believe that the meaning of "access" in the "Except of Access" sign is that
the road cannot be used as a through road, but only by vehicles nedding to
visit a property (house, business, school etc.) on that road where there is
off road parking at that property.
Dave S.
tim....
"Dave S." <kil...@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:hlb7p5$71m$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
Why would there need to be off road parking?
Access would include a delivery van dropping off (picking up), even if it
parked on the road to do so.
tim
Keith
> Bill <Bi...@birchnet.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> There is a similar road that I know in Cheshire, they have put "no
>> through road" signs at either end implying that even if you go along it
>> you will not get out at the other end. Keeps all apart from those in
>> the know from using it.
>
> Same in Hampshire. The road I take from the south coast to my home
> passes through a village and is marked "No through road" which is odd
> because the road has no closures or obstructions along it.
But that's a better situation, isn't it? A "no through road" sign is
only informative, and if you know the information to be false then
there's nothing to stop you ignoring it.
OTOH, "motor vehicles prohibited" is an instruction, so it's an offence
to disobey it, even if the chances of it ever being enforced are slim.
Paul - xxx
We have a few 'no through roads at each end' round here, in all cases
I've seen they are where a council adopted road changes to a privately
maintained road, or vice-versa, at some point along its length.
--
Paul - xxx
'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp
Prai Jei
continuum:
> We have a few 'no through roads at each end' round here, in all cases
> I've seen they are where a council adopted road changes to a privately
> maintained road, or vice-versa, at some point along its length.
That explains it. The council jobsworths don't know there's a world beyond
the end of their noses and they think these roads all end in the middle of
nowhere.
--
ξ:) Proud to be curly
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