Terry and Georgina Evans, from Winchelsea, were returning home after Georgina was rushed to hospital by ambulance on 8 October. They were discharged from the Conquest Hospital in Hastings at 1am the next morning but found the A259 closed as they approached home.
Workers repairing the road were unable to let the Evans through which led them to resort to sleeping in their car before the roadblock was lifted.
Terry and Georgina passed on their thanks for people’s good wishes. You can read more about the couple here.
MP Helena Dollimore said she would be raising her concerns with the roads minister. “I am absolutely appalled at the way National Highways treated Terry and Georgina.”
She said she had been caught up in the roadworks herself and had received many complaints. “I witnessed cars stuck on country lanes by badly signposted diversions. National Highways must do better. For the last year I have repeatedly raised incidents with National Highways of not properly signposting and communicating about road closures, from the A21 to the A259. I am demanding answers from them about what they will do to stop this happening again.”
A National Highways spokesperson explained why Mr and Mrs Evans received no special assistance in spite of their age. “Our traffic management team followed the instructions outlined in their scope specifically that only people residing within the area being resurfaced were to be provided with escorts. Unfortunately, we’re unable to grant access based solely on individual reasoning.”
Image Credits: James Stewart .
“Unfortunately, we’re unable to grant access based solely on individual reasoning.”
What does that mean?
To me it sounds like: “Our management team is incapable of employing staff with sufficient common sense.”
IOW: a management problem.
“Our traffic management team followed the instructions outlined in their scope specifically that only people residing within the area being resurfaced were to be provided with escorts. Unfortunately, we’re unable to grant access based solely on individual reasoning.”
Absolutely deplorable attitude by the Highways Agency. Heads should roll.
I do not wish to sound insensitive, and maybe I am in the minority, but I never allow the fuel level in my vehicle to get so low I cannot manage a reroute and/or a trip to a 24hr filling station. During periods of planned road closures, of which we are generally given a good amount of advanced notice, it would seem common sense to make sure one’s vehicle has enough “go go juice” to account for unexpected situations however inconvenient they are.
As unfortunate a situation as it was for this elderly couple, I do think everyone should be encouraged to take more responsibility for themselves. It is very easy to point the finger at others when the individual/s themselves are at fault. Rather than calling for heads to roll, I would rather people take heed of this cautionary tale and be sure to have sufficient fuel in their vehicles during periods of planned road closures.