You know when you open up Cheap Van Insurance to see what’s new, that you’ll always be met with the latest news, views and opinions from the world of van driver news and motoring. And, dear readers, while we don’t like to blow our own trumpet (bar the odd toot), it seems rumblings posted here first are gathering momentum.
Yes, it seems the mainstream media have cottoned on to our lament of some weeks now – that cyclist groups and teams of eco-warriors are using the COVID crisis to take advantage of local councils and use the current health crisis as an excuse to close roads and put restrictions in place.
Yes, we called it some weeks ago, but it seems our local case is not in isolation. Up and down the country, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, York, Oxford, Derby, Nottingham and Cardiff are all seeing the very thing we warned against.
Thanks to these groups, van drivers up and down the country are seeing road closures, parking bay suspensions, major diversions and extra cycle lanes appearing out of nowhere. But, far from making everyone’s lives better, these restrictions and alternations are making the life of van drivers in particular, absolute hell.
Traffic jams, causing pockets of super high emissions and pollution hotspots are springing up left, right and centre, as tailbacks mount as a result of these changes. Not only are van drivers getting held up on their deliveries, but once they reach their destination, they are finding parking to drop off impossible, thanks to parking bays being suspended in a bid to free up road space for pedestrians’ use.
Cycle lanes that are barely being used are causing huge tailbacks as roads are narrowed to single lanes to accommodate them.
The movement is said to be spending upwards of £225m on these changes, most of which are being sneaked through without any, or very little, public consultation. Were there consultation, we know that ordinary motorists, van drivers and business owners would all have quite a lot to say about these changes. Business owners are not only struggling to get deliveries, but also missing out on vital business that comes from people who need to drive to reach them and find themselves unable to park.
Think about it – those who are reluctant to use public transport – quite a few in these COVID teams we are living in, are being prevented from getting into their local towns because the local councils have made it all but impossible for them to park.
The knock-on effect is catastrophic. No businesses means no van deliveries. Which means no jobs. These short-sighted councils are seemingly hell bent on putting green policies ahead of keeping struggling small businesses (and all the trade they generate) out of business.
If it is happening near you, we urge you to take action. Speak to your council. Sign petitions. Speak out. Otherwise we all face a future where you may not need the best deal on van insurance – because there are no businesses to deliver to.
It’s time for UK van drivers to come together and have their say.