Bridgewater wind vortex

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Tue 03 Dec, 2013 8:12 pm

The coroner ruled today that Leeds City council should close the roads around Bridgewater Place in high winds much to the councils amazement.Cue forecast 70 mph winds on Thursday, and a spokesman for the council interviewed by Look North tonight looking bewildered when asked what they propose to do on Thursday.The coroners ruling is just a recommendation though.The Barrister for the family of the poor guy killed carefully pointed out later that any injuries caused on Thursday, or any other day, to people in the area could result in Leeds council being sued for negligence, as well as the owners of the office block being sued for damages.It will be an interesting 48 hours......

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Tue 03 Dec, 2013 8:36 pm

Steve Jones wrote: The coroner ruled today that Leeds City council should close the roads around Bridgewater Place in high winds much to the councils amazement.Cue forecast 70 mph winds on Thursday, and a spokesman for the council interviewed by Look North tonight looking bewildered when asked what they propose to do on Thursday.The coroners ruling is just a recommendation though.The Barrister for the family of the poor guy killed carefully pointed out later that any injuries caused on Thursday, or any other day, to people in the area could result in Leeds council being sued for negligence, as well as the owners of the office block being sued for damages.It will be an interesting 48 hours...... They already "close" the road to high sided vehicles when high winds are forecast, which seems to be quite sufficient, based on nothing more than my own personal experience in a car weighing just over a ton. Yes it gets buffetted, but there doesn't appear to be the surface area to allow the wind to propel the vehicle off its wheels, whereas a truck (especially an empty / lightly loaded one) or bus has big flat sides that act like a sail.I say "close" as the only warning for drivers who don't know the area is a sign about 10 feet up, out of your direct line of vision on the left as you come around from the end of the motorway, followed by temporary signs that the Highways Dept put up on the traffic island where the road splits. So, quite easy to miss and find yourself in the wrong lane...Plus of course, there doesn't seem to be a legal definition of what constitutes a "high sided" vehicle.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Wed 04 Dec, 2013 11:48 am

raveydavey wrote: I say "close" as the only warning for drivers who don't know the area is a sign about 10 feet up, out of your direct line of vision on the left as you come around from the end of the motorway, followed by temporary signs that the Highways Dept put up on the traffic island where the road splits. So, quite easy to miss and find yourself in the wrong lane...Plus of course, there doesn't seem to be a legal definition of what constitutes a "high sided" vehicle. The warnings are usually just as bad outbound. I don't know if there are warnings on the loop road prior to it crossing the bottom of Briggate but the only warning for traffic using Mill Hill to exit under the dark arches is at the filter lane onto Neville Street rather than the continuation up Bishopgate Street. By the time its seen and read most vehicles will already be committed to the filter lane and even if they aren't the alternative is one helluva a detour especially if not a bus that at least can then use Quebec Street and return via Infirmary Street, Boar Lane, Duncan Street Call Lan, Leeds Bridge before regaining its route at the junction of Meadow Lane and Great Wilson Street.

Steve Jones · Post by **Steve Jones** » Wed 04 Dec, 2013 8:17 pm

The council have now announced that the roads around Bridgewater Place will be closed to high sided vehicles from Midnight tonight, and all other vehicles from tomorrow morning until late afternoon.At least they have taken notice.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Wed 04 Dec, 2013 8:28 pm

Well, did we all see this coming?http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 6295512The junction outside of a Bridgewater Place will be closed to traffic on Thursday (Dec 5) in anticipation of strong winds. The junction, which has seen one person killed and numerous others injured by a ‘wind tunnel’ effect created by the skyscrapper, will be shut off to vehicles and bikes from 6am. Gusts of up to 75mph are expected and people are being warned to plan ahead to avoid possible major disruption.The move comes after a coroner recommended the junction be closed to traffic when winds rose above 45mph. Melanie Williamson made the recommendation when recording a narrative verdict into the death of Edward Slaney, who was crushed when a lorry was blown on top of him during high winds at the junction in 2011.Leeds City Council’s director of development Martin Farrington said: “Given the high winds forecast and the known risk caused by Bridgewater Place we will close the roads around the building. We appreciate the traffic disruption that this will cause, but these are exceptionally strong winds and we have to consider the safety of all road users. While we need to take time to examine the coroner’s recommendations we would have had to close the junction anyway due to the weather forecast. “We apologise for the inconvenience.” In these litigious times, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised with this knee jerk reaction, despite a workable solution having already been in place for some time (if in need of a little fine tuning) and continuing lack of any visible from the buildings owners. BBC Radio Leeds was implying that the street will also be closed to pedestrians earlier this evening, but the YEP makes no mention of that, and the report hasn't even made the BBC Leeds webpageI am glad I'll be nowhere near Leeds city centre tomorrow morning - still, what can we expect from a council who've managed to allow one of the main routes out of the city to be closed completely for TWO days (so far) because of a burst water pipe...

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Thu 05 Dec, 2013 1:14 am

raveydavey wrote: So, quite easy to miss and find yourself in the wrong lane... Or of course ignore

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Thu 05 Dec, 2013 8:37 am

Nice to see you posting again Big N - now that you've "departed" from "Arriva." Hope your new venture is rewarding

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Tue 10 Dec, 2013 6:38 pm

BLAKEY wrote: Nice to see you posting again Big N - now that you've "departed" from "Arriva." Hope your new venture is rewarding Not wishing to wander off topic but thanks Blakey, just to enlighten you - I left arriva in October of last year ( their choice, not mine ) - I started with Tates of Barnsley at the end of Feb this year but the day I started there I was offered a position at Huddersfield Bus ( part of Centrebus U.K. ) running out of the old Tracky depot at waterloo. About two months ago the Yorkshire section of Centrebus was bought out and re-named Yorkshire Tiger by guess who ? Arriva lol.So by default the wheel has turned full circle and I'm now driving buses for Arriva all over again lol.

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Tue 10 Dec, 2013 10:50 pm

I would imagine its a lot less pay and worse conditions than Arriva though, that's usually the case

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Wed 11 Dec, 2013 10:45 am

BIG N wrote: So by default the wheel has turned full circle and I'm now driving buses for Arriva all over again lol. Good for you Big N - what a hoot !! - knowing from personal experience until retirement from Arriva in 2001 I can chuckle when I imagine the blushing faces of those who engineered your unwanted departure in October - serves 'em right.Actually your story is not unusual as I'm sure you know .Its become quite common for the larger operators to be obliged to re-employ former staff by default in a similar way.