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Road safety fears obstruct bid
Page 18
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A bid for a new two-vehicle licence by Professional Audio Visual (Cambridge), based at Steeple Bumpstead in Essex, has been turned down on road safety grounds.
Managing director Paul Kent told Eastern Traffic Commissioner Geoffrey Simms that the company provided facilities and equipment to conferences in this country and abroad. In most cases four small vans were used, but there were occasions when larger vehicles were required and the licence would enable them to hire these vehicles. The company was currently operating from the site under interim authority.
Two neighbouring residents complained about visual intrusion and about being disturbed from 04:00hrs onwards.
The TC considered that those adverse environmental effects could be overcome by imposing restrictive conditions on the licence. However, the application was opposed by Essex County Council on road safety grounds. It made written representations claiming that there was insufficient visibility to traffic approaching from the south, with the sight line approximately 35m, warning that drivers travelling around a sharp bend would not be able to see vehicles leaving the site until they were most of the way round the bend.
Traffic examiner Peter Ironmonger felt that the visibility to the south for a driver leaving the site was about 45m; he felt that problem could be overcome by limiting the size of the vehicles to 7.5 tonnes, saying that modern vehicles of that type could accelerate out as quickly as a motor car.
Kent said that traffic was very light and when vehicles did approach from the south their speed was naturally regulated by the sharp bend and by parked vehicles.
Though expressing disappointment at the county council's failure to attend to assist him, the TC said he could not ignore its evidence.
Refusing the application, the TO said: "In the present case because of my uncertainty over the necessary sight lines for vehicles leaving the proposed operating centre, added to my reservations as to whether goods vehicles or motor cycles approaching the point of egress from the operating centre from the south would have adequate stopping distance In wet weather, I cannot be satisfied that the proposed operating centre is suitable for the purpose."