Sunday 24 February 2008

Fleet Street


Fleet Street in Torquay is a pedestrianised Street but some vehicles are allowed in. There is a list somewhere but I will try and remember which vehicles are on that list. Delivery vehicles are allowed in before 10 am with the exception of the Tesco truck which is allowed in after 6 pm. Emergency vehicles, Police, Fire, Coast Guard, (we are on the coast after all) Ambulance, though I do think ambulances marked ‘Patient Transport’ are pushing their luck just a little. Taxis with access for wheelchair users, Post Office vans, Security vans collecting cash and Torbay Council vehicle also have full time access. I am sure there is an other class of vehicle that can drive through but I do know that cars can not.

In the 9 years I have driven up and down Fleet Street I have never seen any car stopped by the police nor heard of any car driver being prosecuted for driving along Fleet Street. Recently the number of cars using Fleet Street has gone up dramatically due to the sea front being closed. There are two problems I have with this increase in illegal use. One is the speed at which cars drive along here. As it is a public road the speed limit is 30 mph which is clearly an unsafe speed given the number of pedestrians wandering about. The second problem is all these extra car drivers who are now using Fleet street and getting away with it are going to continue using Fleet Street even when the sea front is open. I have heard people say “Why don’t the Parking Attendants do something about it?” They do put tickets on parked cars but have no power to do anything about moving cars, it is for the police to take action against motorists using this street illegally.

Does anyone know why they don't?


Oh yes, the other class of vehicles that can use Fleet Street, Buses.

3 comments:

Lord Hutton said...

That so makes me want to put a yellow jacket on and tell them where to go

Unknown said...

Maybe the NCP attendants can take a leaf out of Little Miss Jocelyn's book. If you haven't seen her sketch show, it features an eccentric overzealous parking warden with some strange ideas.

There's also an eccentric bus driver, who swears at the passengers..and sings whilst driving. Maybe you might have a look at that one hehe

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