No relief for the heavy truck blues

RESIDENTS on Hillier and Teignmouth Roads cannot accept that the Metro Police are doing their best to police trucks parked illegally in the road.

According to the caretaker at Tilloch in Hillier Road, Johan De Beer, the incidence of trucks parking in the roads is a major issue.

“These huge trucks park across the entrance to the block of flats and motorists can’t get out of the property. A truck parked across the entrance to our block on 29 September for more than half an hour, and no one could get in or out. Trucks leak diesel all over the road, it is terrible. I have been told I have to write a petition to the Metro Police head for anything to happen,” he said.

De Beer said a truck driver was working on a truck in Hillier Road and had parked on the drain. He said he contacted Metro Police, who just told the driver to move on.

“The drain was damaged, but the driver was not even fined. The worst time is between 5pm and 7pm, but when I called for someone to come out on 29 September, I was told it was shift change and no one could attend. I saw a Metro vehicle parked behind a truck on 2 October, but when I asked the officer why he had not fined the truck driver, he told me it was not his area. Why is he here then?” he asked.

De Beer also produced a crumpled R100 fine which had been given to a driver who subsequently crumpled it up and threw it on the ground.

He said the 9 ton sign had mysteriously been removed from the Teignmouth Road and that the road name sign had also gone missing and had not been replaced.

George Kemer, caretaker at Merilynn Court in Teignmouth Road, said trucks parked so close to the edges of the road that residents at the block chose not to use the intersection, and had to go another route to get to work.

“From 7am onwards trucks park in the road, and then right throughout the day. One pulls off and the next one parks. Motorists can't see oncoming traffic at the intersection and I have seen accidents where cars have to creep forward to see what is coming. The fence at Tilloch was knocked down in one accident and a year ago a child was hit by a car. Something needs to be done,” he said.

Kemer said the drivers also threw all their rubbish out of the trucks onto the ground.

“It's becoming a pigsty around here,” he said.

Georgina Sinclair from Teignmouth Road, said the trucks had damaged a waterpipe in the road as well.

“Pipes are changed regularly in this road as the trucks damage them by parking on top of them. There's been a wet patch on the verge opposite where I work for the past four weeks. There must be a big leak underground. Filth from the trucks' exhausts are disgusting and we have to breathe this in. At 4am the drivers also rev their trucks. Nothing is being done about this,” she said.

Supt Morgan Subramoney from Metro Police said if De Beer was willing to provide an affidavit to attest to these reported matters he would send a senior officer to obtain an affidavit for the purpose of prosecution of all parties.

“I advise residents to continue to report matters to our communication centre on 031 3610000, whereupon a police patrol will be dispatched. Please obtain a reference number for a follow up. Regarding the issue of the ticket, an investigation will be conducted,” he said.