DISMAY AT JAMES' INTERPRETATION
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I READ with dismay in Cl.! November 30 the letter from Stephen 1). James of Roman City Limited, Bath.
I would like to ask him how he can pass judgment or comment on so-called speeding coach drivers and in particular the horrific coach crash on the MG near Forton services when so many people lost their lives without reading a full report of the Department of Transport and police findings.
I personally made a statement to the police regarding that particular stretch of road and the roadworks that were taking place and I might add, it was 10.30am when I realised that a serious accident could be imminent due to the absolutely stupid way in which the approach to the roadworks was laid out — totally inadequate warning of roadworks, from three lanes coned off to one lane too severely and at an acute angle.
I am a professional driver and was driving my Scania III fully laden with a 12m tautliner 4.8m high at 10.30am through those roadworks and believe me if any cars or other vehicles had been near me there would have been a serious accident because I was being directed from the slow lane into the fast lane in a matter of a split second.
In my statement to the police I thought I was doing 53mph but when I checked my tacho chart I was doing less than 50mph which in my opinion was far too fast to manoeuvre the angle which I was required to do.
Instead of jumping to conclusions, let's look at the way in which motorway roadworks are conveyed to the road user. It's alright saying, "the roadworks were well signpostee, an urgent review of procedures must take place and have a professional hgv driver and coach driver on the panel. I am aware that there are numerous traffic policemen with hgv. licences being tested in unladen vehicles but how can they know how a fully laden 38tomer reacts to stupidly laid out roadwork contraflow systems which I was told they have to supervise and inspect once they are laid Out.
I must also add that employers who encourage drivers to try and do 10 hours work in eight hours thus having to do excessive speed should lose their operator's licence. Apart from that because of some silly rates it is forcing some drivers to work hours far in excess of regulations laid down in order to meet their financial commitments.
In this situation lack of concentration not necessarily speed could be the cause of an accident through tiredness.
In conclusion, Mr Editor, please let's not knock the coach drivers or hgv drivers until the reports are made known. Also, you know, it is not an expensive job to fit a speed limiter to all vehicles, all that is required is the gauges being sealed at annual MoTs with POT special seals being applied to the linkages just like they used to be. All that happens now is the seals are removed so that the vehicle can go faster to do the job quicker, to remain competitive, to undercut rates, to tire the driver out, to cause accidents, to blame the driver. R. W. Clews 19 Cuerdale Street Hark Syke
Burnley B1310 2EP