Meeting with Highways England
On May 1st I had a two and a half hour meeting with six HE executives at their new HQ in Guildford. In spite of the evidence you had provided via the DIRTY DOSSIER they still did not accept that HE was in breach of its EPA S89(1) duty to ensure the motorways are, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter.
The much criticised Asset Support Contract (ASC) had been revised and Areas 4 and 12 had been put out to tender. They have sent me a copy of the new contract which I will scrutinise.
The maintenance of Area 7 in the East Midlands would be taken in-house from June 2016. HE executives would take over the the high level functions but would still employ contractors to carry out the physical work. This was being done on an experimental basis.
They revealed that under the 2010 spending review 40% was lopped off the general maintenance budgets. All of the old contracts were re-negotiated. The ASC was introduced to apply this regime to new contracts. No wonder cleansing standards took such a nosedive.
I had punctured a main sewer of public disgust
Charles Clover writes: I
wrote about litter several weeks ago for the first time in years. The emails and letters are still coming in. I don’t remember anything like it in 35 years of journalism. I had punctured a main sewer of public disgust. As one reader put it: “Keep it up, there is a groundswell of people who are right behind you“. Charles Clover in the Sunday Times.
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WISH 24 – Safe cleansing on the highway
WISH, the Waste Industry, Safety and Health Forum, are producing official guidance on behalf of the Health & Safety Executive entitled: Safe Cleansing on the Highway – Managing the Risks Associated with Manual and Mechanical Cleansing (WISH 24).
I have written to WISH critiquing their current draft. I have argued that litter- picking should not be equated with road works.
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Council sponsored fly-tipping
Following your feed back I have been investigating the legality of depositing commercial and domestic waste on the highway. I have concluded that it is illegal even if authorised by the council.
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Thanks for your continuing support
Peter Silverman
27th May 2015
