Bridge bus rogues must be brought to justice

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Bridge bus rogues must be brought to justice

Tuesday November 22, 2011

Rogue bus drivers who are tearing down a safety barrier on the approach to Hammersmith Bridge with their bare hands should be made to pay for their vandalism, according to the council that is footing the repair bill.

Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council estimates that it has spent more than  £50,000 in the last year to fix the barrier, which is ripped off its stanchion by rogue bus drivers on an almost daily basis.

Barriers have been installed at both sides of Hammersmith Bridge as one of the control measures to prevent vehicles above 7.5 tonnes from driving over it.

Opened in 1887, the bridge was intended for horses and carriages, rather than cars, buses and lorries and if heavy vehicles continue to gain access via the broken barrier, there is a real danger that it will become unsafe, forcing the council to close it so expensive and lengthy repair work can be carried out.

The barriers have been designed by Transport for London (TfL) but because the approach to the bridge is not part of the TfL road network, the council is currently footing the bill.

When a bus approaches, the barrier is supposed to open automatically. If that fails drivers are supposed to press a key fob that they are issued with. If the barrier still refuses to open drivers are supposed to dial a phone number which automatically opens the barrier.

However CCTV coverage shows that thuggish bus drivers are driving up to the barrier and simply tearing it off before driving through.

Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “With council budgets stretched more that ever before, our taxpayers do not expect to foot the bill because lazy bus drivers cannot be bothered to follow the barrier opening procedures or use their fobs correctly. We are demanding that TfL and the bus companies pay us back as a matter of urgency and will also report any drivers that we catch in the act to the police.

“Hammersmith Bridge was not built to withstand heavy traffic and if this continues and heavy good vehicles are able to drive over the bridge we may eventually need to carry out strengthening works which will have a huge impact on traffic flow across the borough.”

H&F Council estimates that it has had to fix the barrier over 100 times in the last six months and replace the barrier pole itself 31 times.

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The more I think about it the more furious I get. The Pole is abt 2m long, weighs max 2kg and is made of Aluminium. 50,000 pounds for 31 poles is 1,612.90 each. There should be a Public enquiry. The money for repairs would have been spent anyway, as the Drivers found they were defective, and that''s why they removed them. The Pole is not damaged by removing it from the lever. I have looked carefully. Don't blame council overspending on conscientious bus drivers trying to get us to and from work on time.
From Richard on 17/02/2012 at 16:03
Now that Bus Drivers are not allowed to touch the barrier or any part of it, on Wednesday morning about 7.20, half a dozen buses dumped their passenger on the South Side of the Bridge, because the "pole" was lying in their path. I dont blame the drivers at all since H&FC is so unsympathetic. Of course the tax payer shouldn't pay, it is the responsibility of TFL and H&FC to get a barrier which operates properly or replaced with Number Plate recognition cameras and any driver taking an unauthorisd vehicle past gets prosecuted. They can and do prosecute drivers for entering bus lanes so why not here too?
From Richard on 17/02/2012 at 11:10
I live very close to this naughty little barrier. The problem is the design, it just doesn''t work. I have been on the bus a few times when it has opened but half way, still blocking the bus. I feel for the bus drivers, they are scared to sort out the problem for fear of prosecution and also have a bus full if pissed off passengers. One time it took a sweet older man to get off the bus behind and move the barrier himself , receiving great applause from the bus icwas travelling on. This is not rocket science, get a different company to install a different system that works and stop wasting everyone''s money
and time.
Get a move on!!!
From Kelleher on 07/12/2011 at 08:15
How can it be that the council pays for repairing the barrier but only TfL can say what sort of barrier should be used? One body or the other must be responsible for the road and should take it on themselves to install something that actually works properly. The other body should leave it alone and save some money.
From Guy on 30/11/2011 at 22:46
The barriers have been designed by Transport for London (TfL)but at the moment it is the council that is footing the bill. Only TfL can install a new barrier that works more efficiently and we are calling on them to do so as a matter of urgency. If they do not and these problems persist, heavy vehicles will continue to be able drive over the bridge and there is a real danger that it will become unsafe, forcing the council to close it so expensive and lengthy repair work can be carried out.
From H&F Council on 29/11/2011 at 09:51
Surely this cannot be rocket science. I have checked on the TfL Bus maps. The only routes that can be involved seem to be 33; 209; 419; 609; 72; 283; 485. The operators: London United for London Buses; Metroline for London Buses; London General for London Buses. Not that many heads to have to be knocked together.
From Peter W on 28/11/2011 at 17:51
The vandalism is disappointing and whilst drivers shouldn't take matters into their own hands I have some sympathy for them. The system is obviously not working and effort should be put into to creating an efficient fast working system that is effective. It can't be against the wit of man to install a system that works. Given the cost of repairs it would be cheaper to hire someone to lift it up which would also reduce unemployment, create a job for someone as well as saving money. I also feel for the poor people on the bus trips who as a result of council inefficiency are being delayed on their journeys which are probably already lengthy due to traffic congestion. Build a proper system for the bus drivers.
From OJS on 28/11/2011 at 10:54
I agree that the bus drivers should be taken to task over the vandalism, but surely there must be a fault if the barrier does not operate correctly. Perhaps more should be spent on maintenance. This should save on the repair bills.
From jan on 27/11/2011 at 17:35
Remove the barrier completely, place signs saying vehicles over a certain size will be fined 100. Use the enormous amount of money collected from the fines to improve the bridge. Alternatively as soon as vehicles start getting fined the word will get out and they won't use the bridge anyway. Problem solved and bus drivers who have enough stress anyway won't have to deal with hilarious over complicated council solutions to a simple problem.
From Paul on 27/11/2011 at 01:46
Surely this is criminal damage? Sit unmarked police nearby and arrest those who break the barrier.
From cm on 26/11/2011 at 18:11
Presumably the barrier fails to lift, and that's why the frustrated bus drivers take matters into their own hands. Can''t really blame them if that is the case. Cambridge uses a system of ''rising bollards'' which used to work fine when I lived there, letting buses through but stopping other traffic from passing. Perhaps someone should take a look at that system before we keep spending more and more money replacing the barrier?
From Matt W12 on 25/11/2011 at 23:10
This is unbelievable. That''s my whole street''s council tax gone. These pictures of criminal damage must be sent to the police and honestly, these bus drivers have to be prosecuted and sacked. It''s absolutely disgraceful.
From richard long on 25/11/2011 at 22:51
Find them, give them a warning and if they do it again, get them done for criminal damage. If any another driver did this we would get a fine and points on our licence - why should they will treated differently??
From Natalie on 25/11/2011 at 21:46
If Transport for London aren't responsible for the bridge, the Council should charge TFL to use it. Bus drivers should pay a 2 toll to raise the barrier each time they take a bus south of the river. That would cover the annual maintenance bill.
From Ian on 25/11/2011 at 19:12
Is there no way that the registration numbers of the buses can be enhanced on the CCTV pictures then the bus companies made responsible for checking who was driving each bus on the relevant shift. Surely the bus companies must keep this information as part of their health and safety records. I know it is yet another job at a cost to the Council Tax payer, but if the bus companies are bugged enough they should finally get the message and deal with the offending drivers. Or am I being too optimistic???
From HillyP on 25/11/2011 at 17:57
it seems clear that the back up system for when the barrier fails to open is not working. I.m sure the bus driver as a last resort is getting out to try and lift the barrier. i was on bus and the fob didn''t not work and then the driver called the phone number and no body answered. eventually someone did after 10mins.council work with TFL and sort it out.

From iain on 25/11/2011 at 17:43
I agree. There is only one possible course of action. Such an antisocial act of vandalism would be intollerable in a common thug. How much less so in an TFL driver, who is in a sense a member of the establishment and therefore expected to set an example of disciplined, law abiding behaviour. Also, Tfl itself must be called to answer for the behaviour of its employees while on duty and reassure the public that they have received proper training.
From Paolo on 25/11/2011 at 17:08
These drivers are a disgrace and should be disqualified from driving any vehicle and made to pay for the damage they have caused.
From Rosemary on 25/11/2011 at 16:28
Frankly the bus companies should bought to account for this and pay for the damage. Their drivers should be sacked.
From Jules on 25/11/2011 at 16:27
Drivers who break the barriers should be treated like common criminals and made to pay for the damage
From A.N on 25/11/2011 at 16:16
Bust drivers must be really, really distressed to do that. Are we 100% sure the system is working properly? Drivers should be prosecuted but maybe TFL should change the bus route

From andy durden on 25/11/2011 at 15:54
This account shows that the Council''s equipment has failed on no less than 30 occasions and, and nothing effective has been done to repair the Council''s equipment.It is a poor response to then attack bus drivers who are attempting to provide a proper service.
From DF on 25/11/2011 at 15:29
The barrier is supposed to open automatically on approach of a bus. The fact that the bus drivers have to take these measures to get through shows the barrier is simply not working properly.. Instead of having a go at them, maybe they council should put more effort into fixing it PROPERLY so it actually opens automatically for the vehicles, as it is supposed to!
From ianf on 25/11/2011 at 15:24
Has it occurred to you that you need to take some responibility for implementing an unviable system? Stop wasting our money, cut OUR losses and come up with something else.
From yasmin on 25/11/2011 at 15:20
50.000! for 100 repairs, 500 each time? or for 31 new poles over 1600.00 each?? Which is it? You're having a laugh!! About time you installed something cheaper to repair and much more ''simple'' to use.
From microo on 25/11/2011 at 15:19
Why did the council not put a stop to this immediately? A complaint to the Police with the CCTV evidence followed up by criminal and civil cases would have stopped it in it''s tracks.
From andykn on 25/11/2011 at 15:13
Interesting - we were talking about this on the way to lunch (we work around the corner), before this article came in.

What triggered the discussion was there were two busses going thru - the first one had gone thru, but was being blocked by traffic already on the bridge. The second one was behind it, half way thru the barrier, and WAS HIT BY THE BARRIER ARM COMING DOWN.

I think you might find it''s a design flaw with the barrier arm, detecting if a bus is half way thru. All the CCTV above shows bus drivers, who may have to pull it off in order to get thru.
From Nic on 25/11/2011 at 15:06
Why doesn''t the barrier work? If the barrier has failed 100 times in 6 months that is pretty strong evidence the system is severely faulty. Bus drivers are just doing their jobs. They have a route. Can you imagine what will happen to them if they do not complete their job? H&F appear to be inconveniencing travellers and putting blame on the bus services when they should install a functioning system. If this was kids or private drivers ripping off the barrier then yes - this would be a serious issue. But this is a story about a faulty system preventing those authorised to use the bridge from using it. I'm finding, lately, H&F a bit of a political propaganda machine. Instead of focusing on the running of the borough it is instead blaming TFL for transporting residents, and blaming Thames Water for modernising the sewerage system.
From JWH on 25/11/2011 at 15:06
Totally agree with Henry, based on the fact the CCTV footage is time-stamped and London buses are actually quite reliable in terms of time tables, it shouldn''t be difficult to track the driver down.

From Jason on 25/11/2011 at 15:05
What a sad indictment of our "Must Have It Now" Society! These ignorant bus drivers cannot wait 2 minutes for the barrier to open! Report them to their bus company and ensure that disciplinary action is taken against them.
From Sally on 25/11/2011 at 15:04
This is pure vandalism and of course these individuals should be held accountable,the bus companies have public liability insurance and should be pursued for damages.Council tax payers should not be forced to pay for this vandalism.
From Roger on 25/11/2011 at 15:04
Make them bloody pay!!!!!!!! outrageous.
From Humphrey on 25/11/2011 at 15:02
When the bridge was closed to all vehicles during the repairs some years back, there were no vehicle allowed for a while, only buses and cyclists were allowed to cross at one point. Maybe it is time for buses only, and let car drivers use the other bridges, or hop on a bus or their bicycles.
From John Ryan on 25/11/2011 at 06:36
Has this also occurred on the Barnes side of the Bridge with buses travelling in the opposite direction? Either way, why should the Council have to pay for vandalism by bus drivers who don't know how/can't be bothered to do their job properly?

It can't be difficult to find out who each driver is so they should be tracked down and face the consequences of their actions.
From Henry on 22/11/2011 at 15:57
I suggest that barriers should replaced with bollards - the bollards should prevent barrier ripping out
I don't know but council needs stamp out this
From rsdworker on 22/11/2011 at 15:03

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