31 March (Part 1) - “The end of tyranny” in Bexley
No more hiding up side streets - possibly
It’s been a long time coming but Eric Pickles’ plan to put an end to unfair
parking fines will finally become law tomorrow. No longer will Bexley council be able to
hide its gestapo wagons up side streets looking for motorists who stop
for 35 seconds to pick up a passenger (as reported by a reader yesterday) and they will be
confined to patrolling bus stops and school zig-zags.
Bexley
council has
calculated that it will lose around £200,000 as a result of their more
dubious activities being constrained by law. This is the sum which the
Department of Communities and Local Government considers has been unfairly taken
from your pocket each year by Bexley council.
Not
unexpectedly, Bexley council is planning to fight back. It expects to be able to use CCTV cameras to monitor minor traffic
offences such as U turns and already it has begun imposing additional restrictions on such
things. A dishonest council has to get its money somehow.
The legislation includes provision of a ten minute grace period for those who
stay slightly longer than they should.
This website
Since redesigning Bonkers to allow the choice of viewing a single blog entry or a whole month’s worth and
later a whole day’s worth to benefit, or so I thought, the increasing proportion
of visitors using mobile devices (now at 40%), those continuing to look at the
whole month outnumber the day only viewers by nearly three to one. There have
also been several complaints from those who wish to view the whole month or a
whole day and are finding it hard to get there.
At
yesterday’s film show one BiB reader explained his way of reaching Bonkers more
clearly than most and as a result the two Instant Access buttons have been added
to the Home and Index pages. Index is where one ends up when using the original
www.bexley-is-bonkers.co.uk
address. It is no longer my preferred route but old habits have a habit of lingering.
It may be possible to add one or both buttons to all the non-blog pages but
there are some practical difficulties in the way.
As well as the request for easier blog access there was a suggestion there was
too much Crossrail coverage so tomorrow won’t be popular; Crossrail is holding a
by invitation liaison meeting this evening.