Latest news with #Guildford
BBC News
3 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Update on Guildford paddling pool plagued by problems
The public paddling pool in Guildford's Stoke Park is no stranger to opened a month late last year because of staff sickness and in 2022 was forced to shut just days after a £141,000 refurbishment because parents said its floor was too slippery for the pool is once again more than a month late to open as engineers try to balance the chlorine levels, and are yet to determine what is causing the asked how much the ongoing work is costing the taxpayer, the leader of Guildford Borough Council was unable to answer. So what exactly is going on at Stoke Park and what needs to happen for the pool to reopen? Respiratory problems Council leader Julia McShane told BBC Radio Surrey that the current high levels of chlorine in the water could be a public health said it would particularly affect vulnerable people and might lead to skin or eye irritation as well as stomach and breathing problems."We don't want to be causing people those issues to their health," she said. "I can reassure people that the teams are working incredibly hard with experts to try to find out what the problem is and to resolve this as quickly as possible so we can get this pool open again."But with temperatures in Guildford set to hit 32C on Monday, many families have been left feeling frustrated."It doesn't seem like they can get it right on anything really, it's a real shame that it's like that again, we had a lovely summer here last year once it was sorted," one parent told us: "We're all sad because we used it last year and it was lovely, a lot of people enjoyed being there, but unfortunately it's not open." What happens now? Ms McShane said it would not be fair to give a reopening date to the public as a timeframe for repairs is not yet clear, but she did say work would continue from next week."The team are going to empty the pool again, flush it through, fill it back up again, probably try a different chemical treatment and then test it again," she said."When we're absolutely certain that the pool is safe to use, then we'll reopen."And how much is this all costing?Ms McShane was unable to give a figure and the council did not provide us with one either when we followed it for now, families will just have to keep their fingers crossed and hope the sun is still around when the pool eventually reopens.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Do you recognize these tattoos? Police working to ID body in Surrey, B.C.
An image of a tattoo on the unidentified man's left calf. (Handout) Police in Surrey, B.C., have released several photos of a man who died in hospital earlier this year, with the hope that someone will be able to identify him. Investigators say the man's death is not considered suspicious. He was found shortly before 9 p.m. on April 12, near the intersection of 152 Street and 101 Avenue, in the city's Guildford neighbourhood. The unidentified man was taken to hospital, where he died a few days later, according to a statement from the Surrey Police Service. Authorities described the man as likely in his 40s, with brown hair, brown eyes and a beard. Photos showing the man's tattoos were released Friday 'with the hope that someone who recognizes them will come forward and contact police,' the Surrey Police Service said. Surrey police work to identify man's body (Handout) An image of a tattoo on the unidentified man's left chest. (Handout) The agency has been working with the B.C. Coroners Service, forensic investigators and missing persons investigators but has so far been unsuccessful in identifying the man, according to the statement. An image of a tattoo on the unidentified man's torso An image of a tattoo on the unidentified man's torso. (Handout) Anyone who recognizes the tattoos or has information related to the man's identity is asked to call the Surrey Police Service at 604-599-0502 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or
The Independent
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Change to enforcement powers sees thousands of drivers fined over yellow box rule
Motorists across England were issued nearly £1 million in fines from just 36 yellow box junctions last year, following new enforcement powers granted to councils. The total of £998,640 was collected from 32,748 penalty charge notices issued outside of London and Cardiff, where such enforcement was previously limited. Manchester City Council generated the most revenue, collecting £446,706 from six junctions, while a single junction in Guildford, Surrey, was the highest earner at £81,445. The RAC warned that the high number of fines should raise concerns for councils, suggesting that many yellow box junctions may be unfairly designed or excessively large. Despite councils stating that enforcement is not intended to catch drivers out, a high proportion of appeals against these fines are successful, with one council seeing an 87 per cent success rate.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
RAC reveals the single yellow box junction catching 12 drivers every day - and raising £80K in fines
New figures have revealed that a single, prolific yellow box junction is catching 12 drivers on average every day, amassing more than £80,000 in fines in one year. The data, revealed by the RAC, showed 10 local authorities collected fines worth a combined £998,640 from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024. The RAC said the 'enormously high number' of penalty charge notices (PCNs) should 'send alarm bells ringing". Before 2022, only London and Cardiff could be fined for yellow box offences. In May that year, the government introduced new legislation that enables all councils across England to apply for enforcement powers. According to the RAC, which obtained the statistics through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, Manchester City Council was revealed to have amassed the most revenue from yellow box fines outside of London and Cardiff. It collected £446,706 from 13,130 PCNs for infringements in six boxes, the equivalent of 36 a day. The highest Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) income from a single yellow box was the Dennis Roundabout in Guildford, Surrey, which saw 4,250 PCNs issued to drivers amassing £81,445 in fines. The RAC sent FOI requests to 27 councils in England that had applied for powers to issue so-called 'moving traffic offences' from central government, with 12 authorities responding. The motor services company has stated the need for government guidelines to stipulate where and how big these boxes can be to avoid drivers being caught unfairly. Previously the RAC reported that they have uncovered problems with as many as 90% of yellow boxes that councils were seeking to enforce. Issues included drivers not being able to see where boxes end, boxes being larger than they need to be and ones extending beyond T-junctions. RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: 'The enormously high number of penalty charge notices being raised in just a few council areas suggests things are awry.' Earlier this year, Yahoo News reported how Newham council in east London made £23,000 from fines issued to drivers entering a yellow box junction, despite roadworks making it impossible for them to take another route. Eleven local authorities were revealed to have issued fines in 36 separate boxes outside of London and Cardiff– with a total of 32,748 (PCNs) being issued to drivers in 2024. Medway Council in Kent, raised the second highest amount in fines from 4,433 PCNs in five yellow boxes, the equivalent of 13 a day, raising £145,162. Buckinghamshire County Council were third highest, issuing 3,618 PCNs from four yellow boxes, which was equivalent to 10 a day, raising £139,798. Mr Dennis added: 'It's vital box junctions are used in the correct places and are only as big as absolutely necessary. They must be fairly set up so that drivers don't find themselves stranded through no fault of their own. Sadly, we are aware of several locations where this isn't the case.' The Highway Code states drivers must not enter a yellow box unless they can get through it without stopping. If you do stray into a yellow box and your vehicle becomes stationary when the lights are red or the vehicle cannot clear the box due to congestion, you may be issued a PCN. The sole exception to entering a PCN is if you are waiting to turn right but are prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic. A fine can be issued when the vehicle is stationary within the yellow box or if your vehicle blocks other vehicles from entering or leaving the junction. The RAC say that if a vehicle enters the yellow box but is still moving, or if they entered when the light was amber and couldn't clear the box in time, they may not be fined. Also, you may be exempt from a fine due to a medical emergency or other extenuating circumstances, which may be taken into account. If you are caught in a yellow box, the fine can range from £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 21 days of the notice being issued, or up to £160 in London, with a similar reduction possible. If you receive a PCN notice you will receive a letter in the post detailing the alleged contravention. Instructions will be included with the PCN for how to 'make representations' to the local authority that issued the fine. At this stage you can appeal against the PCN. It is important that you send any images or other evidence to the local authority at this stage to assist your appeal. If the authority rejects your challenge, you will then be able to appeal to an independent adjudicator. Statutory guidance for councils states they should issue warning notices to drivers caught infringing the box for the first time, during the first six months of enforcing a yellow box, with penalty charge notices issued after. Click below to see the latest South and South East headlines
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Guildford: Council rejects plans to turn bungalow into preschool
Plans for a new preschool on the former site of a caretaker's house have been rejected due to fears over highway safety. St Thomas of Canterbury's School in Merrow, Guildford, submitted a proposal to transform a bungalow on the site into a school that parents say is needed to "help children achieve" of Guildford Borough Council's planning committee have rejected the plans in line with the recommendation made for refusal, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Officers argued that the significant benefits of providing early years schooling did not outweigh the massive highway safety risks. While more than 30 letters supporting the application were received, the committee ultimately determined that it had to follow the Highway Authority's advice despite supporting the Joss Bigmore said: "I'm desperate to approve this application […] However, we cannot ignore the language of the Highways Authority- I've never seen it that strong."Highways officers had condemned the plans as seeing an "unacceptable highway safety impact on the adjoining Highway" for both drivers and documents reveal the preschool could result in eight additional cars around the site at peak hours of 08:00 and 09:00 and 16:00 and 17:00 BST. No extra parking spaces would be provided for the new Kibble, responsible for running the St Thomas of Canterbury's School, argued there would be no major traffic increase given the crossover between families with children attending the preschool and primary members that the school would be willing to pay for traffic measures like yellow lines, he said: "I don't believe we have investigated all the options."However, some members raised concerns the starting and finishing times were different for each setting.
