Westminster council and O'Hara Bros make a mockery of noise pollution laws
Again, at 801am, the roadworks began this morning. I was not a happy bunny. Being woken up on Europe's day of rest to the sound of a pneumatic drill is not my idea of a tranquil weekend. I called Westminster council again. This time I knew from my conversation yesterday that works are not allowed on Sundays. The Noise Control officer said he would go down to the site and talk to them. The noise continued unabated.
I called the company whose name was plastered on the side of the truck next to the roadworks. They were called O'Hara Bros Surfacing. Surprisingly they picked up the phone at 810am on Sunday. I complained that they were working on a Sunday morning making a lot of noise. I told them this was not legal. He told me that whatever they did was legal. I told him to go check his law. He told me that I should go check my law. I told him to refer to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 section 60 which does not permit works on a Sunday. He told me that whatever they did was legal.
When I told him the works were in Westminster he then denied carrying out any activities in Westminster. He said they only had contracts with Kensington and Chelsea. "I'm looking out of my window and I can see your truck and directly above it is a Westminster sign" I told him. "You're wrong." He responded. AAARGH.
I changed tack. "Are you part of the Considerate Builders' Scheme?" I asked him. He sounded genuinely flustered. "I don't know." "Would you mind if I take your name?" "Yes, it's Patrick O' Hara". So he was one of the eponymous brothers of O'Hara Bros Surfacing. He didn't know what a considerate builder was, or if they were one, or what work they were doing or who they are contracted to.
And Westminster council polluted the environment on Sunday, in contravention of the law. I will be calling my MP tomorrow to complain. I'm waiting for some excuse about emergency works, or holding up traffic if the works go over a weekday. All they had to do was start at 10 or 11 in the morning rather than 8am. Bet the works wouldn't have been carried out outside my MP's door at 8am on a Sunday.
I called the company whose name was plastered on the side of the truck next to the roadworks. They were called O'Hara Bros Surfacing. Surprisingly they picked up the phone at 810am on Sunday. I complained that they were working on a Sunday morning making a lot of noise. I told them this was not legal. He told me that whatever they did was legal. I told him to go check his law. He told me that I should go check my law. I told him to refer to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 section 60 which does not permit works on a Sunday. He told me that whatever they did was legal.
When I told him the works were in Westminster he then denied carrying out any activities in Westminster. He said they only had contracts with Kensington and Chelsea. "I'm looking out of my window and I can see your truck and directly above it is a Westminster sign" I told him. "You're wrong." He responded. AAARGH.
I changed tack. "Are you part of the Considerate Builders' Scheme?" I asked him. He sounded genuinely flustered. "I don't know." "Would you mind if I take your name?" "Yes, it's Patrick O' Hara". So he was one of the eponymous brothers of O'Hara Bros Surfacing. He didn't know what a considerate builder was, or if they were one, or what work they were doing or who they are contracted to.
And Westminster council polluted the environment on Sunday, in contravention of the law. I will be calling my MP tomorrow to complain. I'm waiting for some excuse about emergency works, or holding up traffic if the works go over a weekday. All they had to do was start at 10 or 11 in the morning rather than 8am. Bet the works wouldn't have been carried out outside my MP's door at 8am on a Sunday.
posted by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed at 22:15
11 Comments:
Just wait until you get the water-main replacement people around. Earlier this year they spent a month digging up my street (while I was trying to mark exam scripts) they then relayed the road and two weeks later dug it all up again!
Still, you have my sympathy!
Graham (Harry's Place)
if they do get in trouble, seems like it won't be the first time http://www.hse.gov.uk/prosecutions/breach/breach_list.asp?SN=F&EO=%3D&ST=B&SF=SIC&SV=45230+++++
if they do get in trouble, seems like it won't be the first time http://www.hse.gov.uk/prosecutions/breach/breach_list.asp?SN=F&EO=%3D&ST=B&SF=SIC&SV=45230+++++
I used to work for O'hara Bros they are cowboys. check this out http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=154614&NewsAreaID=2
I used to work for these cowboys check this out http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=154614&NewsAreaID=2
It must have been heart breaking!!! I bet you'd be the first onto the council if those pot holes or emergency gas works weren't being filled and carried out. I'd have thought those men who actually gave up their weekend to sort out westminster should be commended. Next time your snuggled up in bed on a Sunday spare a thought for those hard working OHara boys keeping London roads moving.
Do you people expect the world to stop outside your window when you are sleeping? Please get a life and stop complaining about holes in the roads!
JD
1. Those fixing holes should at least be aware of what they are doing. If you read the posting you'll notice that the company DENIED being there.
2. I wouldn't wish roadworks on anyone at 8am on a sunday. Not even you J9John
Good Morning Shelina,
Dont worry about me i can sleep at 8am whatever is hapening outside in the Big Bad world, live and let live i say!
What do you mean by, not even you J9JOH! Share the Love Shelina, peace to you my fellow Homo sapien.
Good Morning Shelina,
Dont worry about me i can sleep at 8am whatever is hapening outside in the Big Bad world, live and let live i say!
What do you mean by, not even you J9JOH! Share the Love Shelina, peace to you my fellow Homo sapien.
Shelina if you dont me asking what is it that you do that you couldnt afford to loose two hours sleep on a sunday morning so that works can be carried out on public footpaths and roadways??
what about the people that work nights and have to sleep during the day they dont complain about every day to day jobs i.e postman rattling the letter box milk man or multidrop drivers???
and im pretty sure your PM has better things to do than try and get you compensated for a loss of two hours sleep!!
please be so kind as to place the shoe on the other foot!
kind regards
matt
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