9.15 today - The bread "van".

Still there in the bus stop.

There's a lorry in the loading bay. And a van in the bus stop. Parked. And delivering.

A new tactic - Park on the other corner! The driver and his mate both walked straight into Tesco. The time? 3.40pm. At the time we walk past with our children on the way back from school. And you know what a "Community Support Officer" watched them pull up, and turned into Broadway Avenue (just ahead there), and walked away. Thanks for the help...

As I stood on the corner, looking over my shoulder to cross the road.

Front view

Thank you the Richmond and Twickenham Times!

for pointing out yet another Tesco bully-boy tactic. From page 5 of today's paper:

"Beleaguered Tesco stores in the borough have yet another complaint to deal with as residents declare that a cash machine has been set up at the St Margarets site without planning permission.

Residents in the area said that the previous postmaster asked Richmond upon Thames Council whether he could have an ATM, and they said no.

Now Tesco have erected its machine without applying for permission and this claim has been substantiated by the council.

A spokesman for Tesco admitted the ATM had been put in place without planning permission... 'It is not something we make a habit of'..."

If we had done it?...

See the application at http://tinyurl.com/4vf2f

Why not lodge an objection? Let's have an ATM, but in a sensible place, for the benefit of a local shop, not a multi-national - The community Post Office has said they would be wiling to apply again, with our support.

Snow joke...

And did you know that those pallets pictured below were finally picked up (by the usual huge lorry) at 8.45, in the middle of a snow storm according to one passer by - so not only was the pavement blocked, but another juggernaut blocked the road at just the time Tesco swore it wouldn't.

7.20 in the morning (ugh) - Pallets waiting to be picked up. Bear in mind this is a major pedestrian thoroughfare for the station, the bus stop, and the schools.

So this is what we had at 3.13 today, on the way to school - This is the view you would have if you were looking back over your shoulder, trying to cross Broadway Avenue... Could you cross safely with your child?

Front view

So here we are at 2 o'clock today - When there are supposed to be no deliveries - And does that look like it fits in the loadin bay?

Very bus friendly, you see.

A large lorry delivering now, at pickup time for the schools

Posted by SMS - Last 4 digits: 1314

A few snatched photos from this morning at 8.40, on the school run. The same lorry was still there at 8.55. And may have been there later - The Council are supposed to be operating an enhanced enforcement regime between 8am and 9am - On the way back at 8.55, a bus took several minutes trying to get round this lorry - Snarling up the traffic in both directions as it tried to do so.

Just by the bus stop.

And on the way past.

Many thanks to the council for helping keep the Bus Stop clear - There is rear access, you know. Taken Monday at 3.42pm - Right at school pickup time again

a large Buxton lorry, half on the pavement, half on the road. About 10 minutes ago. Possibly not Tesco, but it doesn't say much for the new enhanced enforcement regime.

3, yes 3, cars in the bus stop.

there's a council(?) dustcart in the bus stop. Nice example to set!

They said absolutely no deliveries at all after 2.00pm - This is, er, at 2.30. If you could see the pavement, you would see it is covered in trolleys and pallets.

No deliveries between 8 and 9? There's a van outside now! And it's not the bread van...

Posted by SMS.

Oh, just one more thing...

Just in from the Council:

"To clarify, Tesco have a delivery of 'ambient' goods - ie non-refrigerated - programmed for 1pm 6 days per week."

So that's alright then... Not.

The Freedom of Information Act is your friend

At the beginning of December last year, one concerned local resident asked a simple question of the council: If you have agreed with Tesco that they won't park juggernauts outside, why are you still allowing them to do so?

And then he asked again.

And again.

Eventually, having phrased the question as a request under the Freedom of Information Act, he received a response - With 2 days to go before the deadline expired.

What did he discover?

Well the Council has met with Tesco, not just about the problems in St Margarets, but also about the other stores in the borough - And the Council is getting tough, oh yes. They have reached an agreement with Tesco regarding deliveries to stores. They have said to Tesco:

"Apart from the problems being caused to traffic flow and inconvenience to residents, the current situation is damaging the reputation of Tesco stores in the borough"

And so, in the last meeting, a scheme for deliveries was reached for St Margarets. To quote from a letter from Matthew Hill, Section Manager, Transport Planning Service of Richmond Council of 9th December:

".... Tesco has committed to the main fresh food delivery no being at 0600, ensuring that no deliveries take place between 0800 and 0900, the busiest bus stop time. Currently Bread is delivered at 0800 but in a smallish van and a quick stop, which the existing loading box, yellow line can accomodate. No deliveries are planned after approx 2pm so there will be no impact on the bus stop in evening peak"

Take a look below, does this look like no deliveries between 8 and 9? Or last week, the main delivery being at 6am?

The shots from today show a traffic flow in half term - What is is going to be like next week?

Write to the council:

Tell them what you think about their enforcement policies. email matthew.hill@richmond.gov.uk

Why not tell your councillor what you think, email cllr.ahambidge@richmond.gov.uk

Also, did you know that the postmaster asked the Council whether he could have an ATM? And they said no.

And did you know that Tesco's ATM still doesn't have planning permission? You might tell your councillor what you think about that, too.

Remember, if you see the road blocked by a Tesco lorry, or Tesco loading outside these hours, or from an inappropriate lorry text STM then the details to 07900435322.

Monday morning 8.50 am - Tesco's absolute blackout time for deliveries. But there's a lorry is the bus stop - Some mistake, surely.

Just the one parked in the bus stop this morning?

No, there's another one behind it.

The lorry, in all its glory. Would you try crossing this road with your children?

A bus trying to get round.

Turning left made easy - These cars are all stationary, including the cars on the left of the frame.

This is Tesco's idea of fitting in with the local community. Again, 1.50 this afternoon.

1.50 this afternoon.

Tesco trolley full of rubbish at top of Amyand Park Road. Very pretty.

Just as we were about to declare victory in the Loading Bay wars, here they are again at 9.30 in the morning, with a large lorry - We had reports from a local policeman that he saw a similar incident a few days ago, but then the lorry was in the bus stop - He says the buses couldn't pull up, and couldn't get round

9.30 this morning.

This person was seen stopping (today), getting cash out, and then going into Tesco - I suppose that putting his hazard lights on made it alright.

People parking in the bus stop? Never! (7th Feb 2005)