Latest news with #GrahamHayden
BBC News
7 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Road works paused after four-hour queues at Broomfield Hospital
Hospital road works have been paused and rescheduled after motorists described being stuck in "horrendous" traffic for up to four Approach, the entrance and exit to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, was partially closed on Monday, making it a one-way entrance while exiting traffic was diverted down Court Hayden, 62, sat in traffic with his mother-in-law for more than four hours and said "we had the engine turned off for an hour and a half, it was just stationary". A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: "The developer and Essex Highways will work closely to ensure any future works have minimal impact on traffic going in and out of Broomfield Hospital." Mr Hayden, who works in IT for emergency road transport systems, said he has experience with traffic management and attempted to contact the construction firm carrying out the works. "The other annoying thing is the housing developer who is responsible for it all, come 16:00 BST they're all shut up and gone home.""There were even ambulances stuck in the traffic... I think at one point there were three ambulances trying to get out of hospital that were just stuck in traffic [and couldn't] go anywhere." Mr Hayden explained that the cars leaving the hospital were having to join queues with all the cars coming in."Everyone was complaining and moaning, but people were in quite good spirits," he said. Mr Hayden told BBC Essex that his mother-in-law was OK after the experience. "I think she was there to get home and get a cup of tea."The BBC has contacted contractors CGS Construction and Broomfield Hospital for comment. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- BBC News
Essex bus company donates two former vaccination units to Ukraine
An Essex bus company has donated two disused mobile vaccination buses to the Covid-19 pandemic, the single-decker buses were converted to administer thousands of vaccinations to vulnerable people in remote or isolated they are being repurposed to support humanitarian efforts in the war-torn Hiron, of Rochford-based independent bus company Stephensons, said: "The NHS decided they had no further use for them, so we asked the question 'would these buses be any use to Ukraine?' and the answer was very much yes." 'Hide from drones' The company bought back the vehicles and one has already arrived in Ukraine. A second will join a convoy of aid on Sunday, loaded with supplies and Hayden, 62, is organising the transport and driving the bus 1,600 miles to Ukraine is representing a not-for-profit livery company called the Worshipful Company of Carmen and expressed his gratitude to Stephensons. "We don't want to send them something... [when] you've got drones chasing you and you turn the key and it doesn't start. So we're after buses, minibuses, pickup trucks, lorries," he said."They want small minibuses because they can hide from the drones."It will be used for mobile doctor surgeries, mobile hospital-type arrangements, so it will actually be used in the configuration it's in now."The trip will cost more than £1,200 just for transport including tolls and the ferry, and Mr Hayden urged people to donate to his organisation's appeal. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
